Hush, Hush
by broodyleytons
Summary: Lucas and Peyton kiss. But what if Peyton talked to Brooke about said kiss? And what if Lindsey over heard that talk? What if Lindsey crossed the line? Who would suffer? What would be broken? Could it all be fixed? CHAPTER 5 IS UP!
1. 9 Crimes

Hi everyone! **:waves: **You are all probably thinking that I should not be starting another story since I have like five already to worry about! But _spotsunshine _came to me and asked if I would write this story, we are working on it together, she feeds me the ideas and then I write them. It was too good of a storyline idea to pass up! So here I am, writing a new story! Come, I know you want to smile. Yah, there you go!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nuttin'! If we did, season 5 would not have sucked as bad in the Leyton area, Nanny Carrie would have been a nun, Nathan would have grown a pair because he so oviously lost his between the four years, Dan would have never gotten out of jail, and Lindsey would just stick to doing what she knows best, editing books, and Lucas would have never left Peyton in the hotel room.

**Summary:** Okay, so basically this story takes place in the 'In da Club' episode in Season 5. They are all at Tric to see the Horary Title and Mia perform; and Lucas and Peyton 'talk' and then kiss. But what if Peyton talked to Brooke about said kiss? And what if Lindsey over heard that talk? What if Lindsey crossed the line? Who would suffer? What would be broken? Could it all be fixed?

Hush, Hush

**9 Crimes**

Chapter One

Peyton was sitting in one of her chairs in her office when she heard someone's footsteps walk in. Pissed that someone even walked in there she groaned and turned the door, shocked to see Lucas making a bee line towards her. She rolled her eyes and put her head in her hands. "You know what, just rip up the check; I am moving to a new office anyway." Peyton released her head and bit her bottom lip, patiently waiting for what he would dare to say next.

The footsteps stopped and were replaced with his voice. "Let me ask you something; do you have an alarm that goes off in your head every time I'm happy with someone else?" That caught the better side of Peyton's attention as she snapped her head towards Lucas in shock that he would say something like that. She opened her mouth to counter back but was rudely, not to mention loudly, interrupted by Lucas shouting at her. "What do you want from me?" His voice carried the song of rage, hurt, and rejection at most. "I flew out to L.A., I asked you to marry me, you said no so I moved on," Lucas paused briefly. "Why haven't you?" He asked incredulously.

There was silence as the two old lovers stared at each other. Peyton finally blinked. "Because I should have said 'yes'." Lucas was taken aback, he wasn't expecting that. "Luke," She began to move forward, towards Lucas more. "I was young, and I was scared, and I didn't realize that by saying I wasn't ready that we would never be together again, had I known that I would have said 'yes'." Peyton finally got out and watched as Lucas brought his hand up to stop her from talking anymore, pain in his eyes, "Peyton," But Peyton pushed forward with her next sentence, while choosing her words carefully. "No, Luke, I miss you every day. I have told everyone here that I didn't come back for you but I did, of course I did!" Peyton paused to take another breath before ending her speech. "I still love you, Lucas." Lucas swallowed hard, knowing deep down he felt the same way. "Peyton," He shook his head telling her with his eyes that it isn't going to work this time, he was with Lindsey.

Peyton didn't know what drove her to kiss him, but she did. It was short and quick. Peyton backed up, preparing for him to yell at her or walk away upset but he didn't. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her towards him forcefully and began kissing her like his life depended on it. Peyton ran both of 

her hands up Lucas' chest and through his short hair. She was about to deepen their kiss when Lucas ended it, taking a breath while resting his forehead on hers. Peyton raised her eyes to his and smiled. "You're still in love with me, aren't you?" Peyton breathed.

Lucas backed up from her but kept his hands on her arms. "I have to go see Lindsey," He furrowed his brows, hoping his excuse was as good as he was pretending.

Peyton swallowed and released her hand from the collar of his shirt and nodded slowly, letting him leave. She just stared at his back and bit her lip to keep herself from crying or screaming, or hell, throw a few more books at him.

Realizing that Lucas was out of her office a couple minutes later, she rolled her eyes at herself. How could she be so dumb? Is that all she did? Go after other girls boyfriends? No, she didn't always do that, just when Lucas came into play. I _need to stop being so damn selfish_, Peyton thought as she walked over to the chair she was sitting in before Lucas walked in. Letting a few tears fall down her cheeks, she pulled out her cell phone on from her back pocket and sent a text message to Brooke. Before sitting down on the concrete floor, leaning against her desk, sobbing.

* * *

"Oh hush you silly boy, you know you want me." Brooke giggled, a little tipsy from her drink 'Brooke Davis'. She was happy sitting at the bar flirting openly with the bar tender, Owen that she had met a few weeks earlier.

"You," Owen pointed his finger at Brooke's nose, lightly brushing it. "Should stop drinking before you get too full of yourself." Owen cocked an eyebrow at Brooke.

Brooke rolled her eyes and was about to say something when her cell phone began to vibrate. She looked up at Owen who was already at the end of the bar serving three women drinks, she smirked and then unlocked the keypad on her iPhone to read the text.

'_Meet me in my office. I need to talk to you. Please…-P. Sawyer'_

Brooke downed the rest of her drink and pulled her purse off the back of her chair and began walking towards Peyton's office but not before she stopped by Nathan and Carrie. Hearing what Carrie was saying and scoffed before bending down; Brooke wrapped one arm around Carrie's bare back and one arm around Nathan's broad shoulders, turning her head towards Carrie with a forced smile. "You know if you wanted to get in a married man's pants all you had to do was stand on a street corner somewhere." Brooke's smile turned to a frown. Then she turned to look at Nathan with disappointment on her face, telling him that they'd talk later with her eyes.

Brooke smiled to herself at the state of shock Carrie's face showed.

"Something is seriously wrong with that nanny of Nathan and Haley. We need to do something about that with the quickness." Brooke said once she entered Peyton's office. She stopped walking, looking around when she heard someone crying. "Peyt?" Brooke walked over to where she saw some blonde curls shaking. "Honey, what is going on?" Brooke asked as she lowered herself down to the right of Peyton, laying her purse behind her. "Talk to me P. Sawyer…" Brooke said as she wrapped her arms around her best friend of fourteen years.

"I think I messed up Brooke, like really screwed up royally this time." Peyton said through her tears.

"Stop, stop crying honey and tell me what happened so I can fix it for you." Brooke soothed.

"I kissed Lucas, Brooke…" Peyton cried before putting her head in her hands.

Lindsey, who had followed Brooke to Peyton's office in hopes to talk to Peyton and apologize for what she had said before covered her mouth before she could gasped out loud. Anger clouding her vision she hurriedly backed out of the office and walked back out to the club, walking straight to the bar.

"Then he kissed me back." Peyton mumbled through her hands and then looked up at Brooke who was smiling sympathetically. "I told I still loved him, I feel so horrible Brooke. What am I suppose to do?"

Brooke wiped a few tears off of Peyton's face and then cupped her cheek. "You stand up, brush you skirt off, and go on. This isn't high school anymore Peyt. It sucks, it does, but you said your peace now you need to wait for him to do the same. I know you two are meant to be together."

Peyton sat up more on her own and fold her arms across her chest. "Well, it doesn't matter now; he's with Lindsey."

Brooke rolled her eyes and looked closely towards Peyton. "Honey, Lindsey doesn't stand a chance, trust me. I have been the Lindsey between the Lucas and Peyton and it is not a great place to be." Brooke laughed and looked at the door to Peyton's office that she could have sworn she left open.

"Well, neither is the place I'm at." Peyton mumbled, pouting slightly.

Brooke looked at her in amusement. "Are you kidding?" Brooke paused for Peyton to look at her. "You're Peyton Sawyer; the guy wrote a whole book about how much he loves you."

"You think he still does?"

"It has always been Lucas and Peyton, you guys are meant to be together." Brooke hugged Peyton once more before pulling them both up off the floor.

"So what is this about us needing to put Nanny Carrie in her place? It sounds fun; I have hated that bitch ever since she got here." Peyton said while grabbing the Jack Daniels bottle from her desk drawer while Brooke grabbed two coffee mugs from the side table by the coffee pot.

* * *

Lindsey practically threw herself down at the bar and pounded the counter to get Owens's attention for a dry martini-dirty. After she received it she also ordered two shots of tequila.

"Whoa," Lindsey turned around to face the deep voice that spoke. She cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Jason? Aren't you that bad-ass, bad boy Peyton fired?" Lindsey asked, slurring at 'Peyton' and then finishing off her last shot.

"Yeah that would be me, who pissed you off?" Jason asked as he too finished his last shot.

"Who do you think?" Lindsey glared at Jason, not really caring that she was having this conversation with such a scumbag. It was a scumbag that would listen and that's all she needed right now.

"Curly blonde right? The bitch fired me…god I hate that bimbo." Jason shouted, ignoring the looks from the other people sitting around him.

"I just wish she would disappear, like _poof_ and she'd be gone and everyone could go back to their lives." Lindsey ranted, not noticing the crazed look Jason got in his eyes.

"I can take care of it; wait here make sure Peyton and Brooke stay here." Jason said right before he got up and began his stroll to the exit.


	2. Crush, Crush, Crush

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing the first chapter, you have no idea what that means to me, us. Here is the next chapter, enjoy and don't forget to review and share your thoughts! The song is called 'Crush Crush Crush' by Paramore.**

* * *

Hush, Hush  
**Crush, Crush, Crush  
**Chapter Two

_I got a lot to say to you  
Yeah, I got a lot to say  
I noticed your eyes are always glued to me  
Keeping them here  
It makes no sense at all_

Mia walked into Peyton's studio office with a confused look, all the lights were on but nobody was in sight. She was sure Peyton told her to be here promptly at eight o'clock so where was that scrawny Blondie? Mia chuckled a bit as she walked further into the office; the sight before her was priceless. Brooke was somehow still sitting in one of the office chairs towards the side of Peyton's desk. One leg was draped over the edge while the other disappeared underneath her body. There was a coffee mug that read 'I do chicks on the first date' in her lap that was half way full of some kind of liquid. Peyton however was the funnier of the two. She was almost hanging on to her desk, her arms sprawled across her messy table full of demo CDs and contract copies, while the other half of her body was at the very edge of her computer chair, her feet spreading outwards. Her blonde hair covered most of her face except her left ear. Mia's mouth turned into a smirk as an idea floated into her mind. Leaning down to the exposed ear of Peyton's she yelled "Whose your Daddy?!" Peyton's head immediately flew up causing her to lose balance and plop on to the ground in a loud thump. This worked as a chain reaction because on the other side of the desk Brooke snorted loudly and totally fell off her undersized chair, also sounding off a loud thump.

"Wow, this must be the reason why they say drinking is bad." Mia said as she noticed both Brooke and Peyton were awake.

Brooke looked up and closed her eyes immediately, sun light, that was asking too much of her. She crawled over to where she believed Peyton fell and glared at her. "I blame you, you know…" Brooke pointed her index finger at Peyton.

Peyton pretended to bite Brooke's finger off but then smiled when she saw what was on Brooke's forehead. Peeling the card off Peyton laughed hysterically. "Dude, what did we do last night?" Peyton fell over laughing.

Brooke snatched the card away noticing it was the Ace of Hearts. "I don't know do we really want to know?" Brooke smirked.

"I know I don't want to know!" Mia raised her hand.

"Oh yes, Mia. Why are you here at this un godly hour?" Peyton grumbled as she pulled her and Brooke up off the cement ground and glanced at her watch.

Mia walked over and sat on the bar stool next to the couch and folded her arms. "Um, because you told me to meet you here. If I would have known that you and Boozy here were going to play 'ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall' I would have came later." Mia smiled.

"Hey, you so don't get to call me Boozy, that reminds me way too much of Nathan's mother," Brooke shook with irking chills. Brooke grabbed her purse and keys then faced Mia and Peyton. "Unlike you two, I don't have to be into work till, well, whenever I want to be in at work, but I am going to run home real quick and change. Want me to bring you a change of clothes P. Sawyer?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah sure, and like some food. I am so hungry!" Peyton said without looking up at Brooke because she was searching for Mia's demo tape. "Here it is!" Peyton held it up and smiled. "Oh. Sorry." Peyton grimaced at how weird she sounded.

"Talk about spaced out…" Mia looked down and chuckled along with Brooke.

"See you in a bit Rock Star Girl and P. Sawyer. Toddles." Brooke waved goodbye and then walked out the big doors.

Peyton looked at Mia and rolled her eyes. "Let's get to work girly!"

* * *

Brooke smiled to herself as she walked out of the house she shared with Peyton. Brooke had picked the best outfit for Peyton to wear today, something that was sure to drive Lucas nuts. Brooke wasn't dating Lucas anymore, hadn't been in over four years, but she still knew what little things drove him insane. She had a mischievous catlike grin on her face when she bumped into someone on the porch deck.

"Nathan?" Brooke furrowed her brows wondering what the hell he was doing there.

"Hey Brooke, Peyton here?" Nathan shoved his hands in his pockets and awaited a reply.

"Um, no she is up at her office right now working with Mia, why?" Brooke asked as she started walking down the steps, Nathan close behind. She haphazardly shoved a couple of documents into her black, leather laptop bag and headed towards her black 2012 Saturn Vue.

"I wanted to check up on her," Nathan saw Brooke's calculating stare and continued. "Lucas talked to me about it; he was really upset about it. Then I told him I'd go check up on Peyton." Nathan shrugged.

"He shouldn't be the one whose upset Nate and I think you know that." Brooke looked sternly at him then back to her bag, fishing out her keys and unlocking her SUV, putting her bag in the passenger side seat then turning her attention back at Nathan, smiling softly. "I know you agree with me when I say that Lucas is acting like a fool and that Peyton most certainly did come back for Lucas." Brooke leaned on her left leg.

"Yeah I know, it is just everything seems so messed up lately," Nathan sighed and ruffled his hair.

"You mean Nanny Carrie messed up?" Brooke cocked an eyebrow at Nathan then smirked when he snapped his head up at her and his eyes widened.

"Brooke, you have to know-"

"Have to know what? That you are risking throwing away a six year marriage away all for the slut that's taking care of your son because you had issues with the little Dan in you?" Brooke interjected.

Nathan would have yelled something back at Brooke, he would, he normally did, but he couldn't, not when Brooke was so damn right. He just let a frustrated sigh out and once again ruffled his hair.

Brooke pushed out a somewhat sympathetic smile and lightly touched Nathan's shoulder. "You know I only say it because you two mean so much to me and I know you guys deserve so much more than this."

Nathan nodded and rubbed his hands over his face. "She is just throwing herself on me every chance she can get."

"Oh poor, pitiful you; geez Nathan, get a grip. You know what you need to do then," Brooke told Nathan as she got into her car, shut the door and started the engine while rolling the window down. "I love tutor mom so hear me clearly when I say you better fix this, now, before it gets worse."

Nathan nodded fully understanding what Brooke meant.

"Now go home to your hott mama and beautiful son." Brooke winked in the same way as Nathan always remembered her doing all throughout high school.

Nathan waved to her as she backed out of the driveway and drove on down the street.

Nathan knew what he needed to now: **fire Nanny Carrie**.

* * *

"I like that Mia but how about but how about you pick up the beat on the last verse okay?" Peyton said through the glass at the recording studio.

Mia nodded and began playing the opening notes of "It's Only Life".

A beep startled Peyton. She turned to look at her laptop and noticed she got a Live Chat invite from her half brother, Derek, from his tour in Iraq. Smiling, she clicked 'Accept'. Her web cam clicked on and at first she only saw a black box. Within seconds of that thought and turned on and he could see Derek in his tan uniform with his nifty hat.

"Hello sis," Derek smiled. It was rare when he smiled so this was a treat for Peyton. The two had finally talked more about each other's childhood within the past four years and knew that both of them had gone through a great deal of torment and torture.

"Hey brooooo," Peyton sported an upside down peace sign into the camera and pouted her lips out.

Derek laughed hard. "Seriously, what is wrong with you?" Derek stopped laughing to turn somewhat serious.

Peyton stuck her tongue out at him and folded her arms against her chest. "So what's up? Still keeping you safe?"

Derek stood up and turned around, then leaned towards the web cam and smiled a huge smile. "I am all here sis, no need to worry."

"Good," Peyton smiled.

"Who's the hottie?"

Peyton jumped and turned around to see Mia resting her palm on the desk squinting at the screen. "Okay, um, ewww, that's my brother." Peyton grimaced and she could hear Derek laugh.

"Oh so this is the amazing solider brother you've talked about." Mia smiled, nodding approvingly.

Peyton noticed the nod and made a gagging noise in the back of her throat. "Again, gross. But yes this is my brother Derek."

"And this must be the one and only talented Miss Mia, the rising star." Derek raised his eyebrows.

"I don't know about rising," Mia mumbled and yelped when Peyton smacked her in the arm. "Jesus Peyton, what is with you hitting people today?" Mia rubbed her arm pouting slightly.

"You know you are great, so stop doubting yourself! Now go take a break or something I need to talk to my big brother." Peyton shooed Mia out of the recording office, she had a grin on her face though so Mia would know she was just joking around but needed to talk to her brother.

"SO…" Derek said.

"So, I kissed Lucas last night only for him to walk out to leave with Lindsey." Peyton admitted bluntly and clasped her hands together and widened her eyes and pursed her lips. She had gotten used to how easy it was to just tell Derek everything when it happened instead of beating around the bush about it.

"The Lucas that is with you arched enemy 'Big-Headed Lindsey Face'?"

Peyton glared. "I told you to stop repeating that, I felt horrible after I said that!" Peyton buried her head in her hands, truly remorseful about the day she had gone to Lucas' first book signing only to be the front row of the first viewing of a kiss between Lucas and Lindsey. She had called Derek that night after she had called Brooke and briefly described Lindsey as a big headed Lindsey face.

"Trust me, I have seen pictures, the truth is suppose to set people free. I haven't seen any Lindsey's flying yet so why haven't you set her truth free?" Derek said between snickers. He did not like the girl that stole his baby sister's spot. He had met Lucas and knew without a doubt that he was just hiding behind the Lindsey girl. He didn't have to be in Tree Hill to get that. He saw it in Peyton's eyes every time they chatted online.

Peyton pulled her head up and gave him a soft smile, secretly thanking him and letting him know it helped, what he had said.

"So, when are you going on vacation?" Peyton asked, putting the thought of Lucas and Lindsey way in the back of her brain.

* * *

Lindsey woke up in a weird position on her and Lucas' bed. Her head was slightly pounding; actually, slightly would be an understatement. It felt like she was a nail and this life sized hammer was slowly hitting her into a brick wall. _Tequila and me do not go well together_, Lindsey thought as she got up and walked to the bathroom.

She looked at her face and grimaced, she looked like shit. She touched her head trying to remember the previous night. She couldn't for the life of her remember what caused her to drink that much, and Tequila none the less. Then she remembered something that made her stomach churn…

**FLASHBACK**

"_I kissed Lucas, Brooke…" Peyton cried before putting her head in her hands._

_Lindsey, who had followed Brooke to Peyton's office in hopes to talk to Peyton and apologize for what she had said before covered her mouth before she could gasped out loud. Anger clouding her vision she hurriedly backed out of the office and walked back out to the club, walking straight to the bar. _

_Lindsey practically threw herself down at the bar and pounded the counter to get Owens's attention for a dry martini-dirty. After she received it she also ordered two shots of tequila._

"_Whoa," _

_Lindsey turned around to face the deep voice that spoke. She cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Jason? Aren't you that bad-ass, bad boy Peyton fired?" Lindsey asked, slurring at 'Peyton' and then finishing off her last shot. _

"_Yeah that would be me, who pissed you off?" Jason asked as he too finished his last shot._

"_Who do you think?" Lindsey glared at Jason, not really caring that she was having this conversation with such a scumbag. It was a scumbag that would listen and that's all she needed right now._

"_Curly blonde right? The bitch fired me…god I hate that bimbo." Jason shouted, ignoring the looks from the other people sitting around him. _

"_I just wish she would disappear, like poof and she'd be gone and everyone could go back to their lives." Lindsey ranted, not noticing the crazed look Jason got in his eyes.  
__  
"I can take care of it; wait here make sure Peyton and Brooke stay here." Jason said right before he got up and began his stroll to the exit. _

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Lindsey gripped the edge of the sink and then moved over to the toilet, throwing up. Partly it was the Tequila's doing but most of it Lindsey couldn't help but to freak out.

"What did he mean he could take care of it?" She said out loud to herself.


	3. I Will Always Love You

Hush, Hush  
**I Will Always Love You  
**Chapter Three

Nathan walked into the normally comfortable Scott household but today it felt claustrophobic almost for what he was about to tell his wife about their hired nanny help, or lack thereof. Okay, scratch that, Carrie was fabulous to Jamie but she a little too _fabulous_ to Nathan when Haley was either at work or helping Peyton at the studio with Mia. So, knowing that the little run around with Carrie could only get worse, he needed to tell Haley, no matter how scared he was of what Haley would say or do. He knew he had no feelings for Carrie, she was a complete slut, but it still didn't change the fact that his palms were extremely sweaty.

He entered their bedroom and saw Haley sitting in the brown, leather chair by the window reading some papers from her class, most likely grading them. Her hair was up in Chinese chop sticks and she had her sleek black glasses on and she was wearing her baby blue sweat pants and matching jacket that Brooke had made in high school for her 'Hoes over Bros' web site. The suit used to hang a bit loosely then but now since she had given birth to Jamie four years ago the velvet material hugged her in all the right places. Nathan smiled momentarily as Haley stuck the red pen in her mouth and bent over to her book bag and grabbed yet another set of papers to grade. Nathan couldn't help but the grin more at the site of the '23' on her lower back.

"Grading more papers I see," Nathan spoke up and chuckled as Haley almost fell off the couch. "I know I am fine, but please don't hurt yourself too much." Nathan leered.

Haley rolled her eyes. "Whatever, you just startled me." Haley went back to grading her papers but sighed in frustration before throwing the papers on the ground and letting the pen fling across the room to their walk in closet.

"Whoa, what's wrong babe," Nathan got up and sat on the arm rest of the chair and began to massage Haley's shoulders, sensing she was stressed out about work.

Haley immediately relaxed under Nathan's strong hands and let her eyes flutter shut before answering him. "Well, it seems that none of my seniors understand the meaning of rhetorical strategies or how to write an essay on them!"

Nathan continued to massage Haley's shoulders and quirk an eyebrow. "Is it bad that I don't know what rhetorical means and I passed high school?"

"Well, you were okay because your good looks and flawless charm got you through it half decently." Haley looked up into Nathan's eyes lovingly.

"Huh, I thought it was because of this super hot tutor girl I had then I think we dated a couple times before she fell for this flawless charm I've got then we got married." Nathan teased Haley and lightly pinched her side.

"You forgot we had a beautiful son named Jamie," Haley moaned. The way Nathan was touching her so lightly and caring was really turning her on; especially since he had recently gotten out of his 'the world hates me' funk.

"We need to talk," Nathan said as he stopped his hands and went back to the corner of their king sized bed.

"Talk about a buzz kill," Haley moaned as she got up to retrieve her red grading utensil and papers before settling back on the chair.

"I know, sorry," Nathan shrugged, getting anxious to just get this talk over with. "It's about Carrie," Nathan looked at Haley.

"What about her?" Haley asked, still focusing on the papers.

"Well, for starters she is a slut," Nathan immediately clapped his hand to his mouth that is so not what he meant to say. Sure that was the truth and that is how he felt but, not the way to start a conversation. "I mean, she is a little too friendly." Nathan corrected himself.

Haley finally looked up at Nathan at the word 'slut'. "What do you mean? She hasn't been bringing guys in here has she? I told her that wasn't allowed." Haley was a little upset at the thought of Carrie disobeying her specific rules in the men area.

"Um no, I mean, she, I, oh god," Nathan mumbled as he ran his hands over his face.

"Nathan, are you okay?" Haley urged wondering what was causing her husband to freak out.

"Okay, but before I tell you, you have to promise not to yell at me." Nathan stared at her.

"I won't yell at you Nathan, come on just tell me! The wait is killing me!" Haley laughed.

Nathan pushed a nervous smile out hoping she would still have that laugh after he said what he needed to say. "Carrie has been flirting with me, a little too openly around others, like Jamie or Skills when he is over." Nathan cringed as Haley got up and walked out of the room. "Hales, wait up, Hales!" Nathan tried his best to run after her but his injured leg wasn't helping much.

Haley practically flew down the stairs and outside to the pool where she last saw Carrie and Jamie. She was about to fling the back door open when a strong hand caught her. "Hales, stop you can't yell at her in front of James," Nathan whispered and smiled sadly when Haley leaned against him and started to cry. "I am sorry I just thought I should tell you before it got worse or something." Nathan rubbed comforting circles on Haley's back to try and calm her down.

"I let her into our home Nate and this is how she repays me, us?" Haley wiped the tears away and grew angry and embarrassed that she had even cried in the first place. "Unbelievable!" She threw her hands up in the air and walked out to the pool.

She scoffed in disgust as she realized what Carrie was wearing, or what little she was wearing. "Carrie, I need to talk to you for a moment; Jamie you can go in and change and watch some T.V." She patted Jamie's back as he walked over to her and hugged her leg and then proceeded to walk into the house with Nathan.

"You, come here, and I would get close and listen very carefully because I plan on telling you this once." Haley glared at Carrie in her skimpy black bikini and cynically laughed at her confused state. "I want you to pack your things up and get the hell out of my house." Haley icily whispered.

"What the hell?!" Carrie yelled and threw her hands on her hips.

"You heard me, get out." Haley turned around signaling that she was done with this conversation but apparently Carrie had other thoughts when she yanked Haley back around.

"What did I do?" Carrie asked while biting her lip.

"Are you kidding me? You should be asking what you haven't done! I don't think flirting with my husband was in the credentials of being a nanny for us. If I would have thought you would be that stupid I would have mentioned it. I just thought that was a no brainer." Haley snapped and yanked her arm away from Carrie's grasp. "Now, like I said, get out."

"Are you just threatened?" Carrie asked making Haley stopping in her tracks and turn around.

"Oh honey, please! He isn't interested in you! Please, don't flatter yourself too much." Haley rolled her eyes.

"Bitch!" Carrie raised her hand and then connected it to Haley's cheek.

Haley placed her hand on her cheek and winced with pain. Then she glared and looked up at Carrie's smirk and suddenly got angrier. "No I think you are the bitch," Haley slapped Carrie across the face so fast that Carrie didn't even see it coming and it sent her flying into the pool.

* * *

Haley rubbed her cheek once more before reentering the house to find Nathan but instead found Skills smiling. "Skills?"

"Hey little mama, that was hot!" Skills walked over to her but then turned serious. "You okay though? Look she is out of the pool again, I can go out there and shove her in there again if you'd like." Skills gave her a reassuring hug letting her know he was dead serious.

"No, that is okay I think I am just going to go up and take a bath just make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," Haley said before walking up the stairs.

"No problem momma," Skills answered.

He smirked as Carrie came in with a bright red hand print on her face. "Ouch," He coughed, "Home wrecker," Then he walked into the living room with Jamie feeling confident that Carrie wouldn't try anything stupid.

* * *

"Well I think it's safe to say she's fired." Haley said as she walked into hers and Nathan's bedroom.

"Good," Nathan opened his eyes and held out his arm. Haley smiled and walked over to him and held his hand. Nathan pulled her on top of him, causing Haley to laugh. "Now come here," Nathan kissed her while running his hands up and down her back.

Haley pulled her lips back a little. "How about we go out and celebrate just you and me." Haley smiled and kissed him again.

"That's nice honey but we just fired our help." Nathan laughed when Haley groaned.

"Oh yeah," Haley sat up and then a thought occurred. "How about Skills watches Jamie, Jamie adores him so much. He would like it a lot." Haley suggested as she was slowly rubbing Nathan's lower abdomen.

"If you don't stop that we won't make it to this night of celebration." Nathan growled as he sat up too.

"We can wait a little bit," Haley said and then got up, laughing at Nathan's face. "I am going to go ask Skills if he is free tonight then I will be back. How about you start the shower that way it won't take as long, if you know what I mean…" Haley licked her lips and then seductively walked out their room and down the hall.

Nathan got up and ran into their master bathroom and began the shower and undressed.

* * *

It had been a few hours since Nathan and Haley had left for their early dinner and Skills was having a blast with Jamie. So far they had played Guitar Hero 3 for two straight hours and Skills was amazed at how well Jamie was at the game.

"How about we go out for some dinner?" Skills asked as he ended the game and put his controller on the coffee table and stood up, stretching. Skills chuckled when he saw Jamie stand up and do the same.

"That sounds good, but can I pick?" Jamie grinned.

"Aw, man, you always get to pick where we get some grub and it be the same place every time," Skills pretended to be upset.

"Come on, you know you like Incredible Pizza Uncle Skills." Jamie smiled.

"You're right, okay but I get to take you somewhere afterwards, my pick." Skills got down to eye level with Jamie. Jamie nodded his head and put his fist out and Skills bumped fist with him and laughed. "You know you are pretty cool," Skills said as he threw Jamie over his shoulder and walked out of the house.

"So I have been told," Jamie giggled.

Once they walked into Incredible Pizza, Skills told Jamie that he could go play for a little bit before they ate. Jamie, of course, agreed and ran off finding a few friends from school that were there. Skills laughed when Jamie started dancing to the music.

Skills walked over to a booth and sat down. Looking around the restaurant, Skills' eyes opened wide when he saw Mouth and Millicent a few feet over. He got up and walked over.

"So do you normally come here for dinner, or this just like something freaky you two do together?" Skills asked as he plopped down across from the two of them.

Mouth bowed his head in embarrassment. "Oh, Marvin just wanted to go here. I've never been to one of these." Millicent looked around in curiosity.

"That's because it's for little kids," Skills smirked.

Mouth's head shot up and he asked, "Then why are you here?"

Skills sat back in the chair. "Because, Little Jimmy Jam picked this place out for dinner and Nathan and Haley went on some kind of dinner date because they fired Nanny Carrie." Skills explained.

"Why did they fire Nanny Carrie?" Millicent asked. She thought Carrie was kind of nice.

"Who fired Nanny Carrie? And why did they put fire on her?"

All three adults turned to Jamie with wide eyes and shocked expressions.

"You get to ask your daddy that when he comes home tonight All Star." Skills tousled Jamie's hair. "How about we go get some food." Skills stood up.

Jamie nodded his head but then furrowed his eyebrows. "Why are Uncle Mouth and the Mimmicent lady here?" Jamie asked as they were walking towards the buffet line. Skills laughed at how Jamie pronounce Millicent's name.

"Uncle Mouth loves this place a lot." Skills replied before ordering a Dr. Pepper for himself and kid's size Sprite for Jamie and grabbing plates for them both.

"But this is for kids, not grownups." Jamie shot back and scrunched his nose.

"Hey, hey, hey, you should know that your man Skills is here, having a good time, enjoying himself." Skills told Jamie while picking up three pieces of pepperoni pizza.

"Yeah but you're really cool and Uncle Mouth, well, you know, isn't…" Jamie trailed off.

Skills just laughed and continued grabbing food to pile up on his plate. Then, Skills and Jamie returned to the table with Mouth and Millicent.

Skills' phone starting ringing so he answered it loudly since it was quite loud in there. "Superstar speaking," Jamie, Mouth, and Millicent all rolled their eyes because of the song that was playing on his phone when he received the call. "Oh hey Nate, having fun you two? Oh yeah, yeah he is behaving himself perfect." Skills paused then smiled, listening to Nathan on the other end. "Oh sure thing superfly, anything for making up and making lo- alright, alright. See ya dawg." Skills smiled and hung up, look at Jamie.

"Looks like Uncle Skills is staying the night!" Skills push out his chest and then did his secret handshake with Jamie.

"Hey, how about Mouth and I come over too, we could have a W-A-T-E-R-F-I-G-H-T." Millicent spelt out and Skills and Mouth both smiled at that idea, they couldn't wait to initiate Jamie into the Saturday Night Water Fight Galatia.

"I hate it when grownups spell out words," Jamie pouted as he took a sip of his Sprite, causing Skills, Mouth, and Millicent to laugh.

* * *

"Where are you taking me Nathan?" Haley asked clearly irritated that Nathan had blind folded her from the restaurant and turns the music on so she could hear anything else.

"I told you already, I am not going to tell you." Nathan laughed as Haley crossed her arms.

"Am I going to like this place?" Haley asked, shaking her leg.

Nathan rolled his eyes but lightly chuckled. "No, you're going to hate it." He said sarcastically. "Of course you're going to like it." He added and then grinned as they reached the destination. "We are here." He announced, getting out of the Range Rover and walked over to Haley's side. He helped her out and then handed the keys to the Valet and whispered to the man that their bags and suitcases were in the back of the car and to bring them up to the presidential suite.

"Nathan Royal Scott, are you planning on taking the thing off of me any time soon?" Haley said loudly.

"Just a couple more minutes' babe," Nathan sighed as he walked them into an elevator and kissed her temple sweetly.

Haley heard a ding noise and figured out that they were in an elevator but that was all she could piece together.

Nathan smiled at Haley, even though she couldn't see him, because he could practically see the wheels turning in her head. Their seventh wedding anniversary wasn't for a couple months but Nathan felt they should skip town for the evening to get away and try and find who they used to be before he got into his accident. Plus, he wanted to reward Haley for being so amazing twenty four seven and still managing to be a great mother and wife and teacher.

Nathan's grin went broader once they reached the top floor and the elevator dinged and opened, Nathan grabbed Haley's left hand in his and wrapped his right arm around her waist as he guided her down the short hall to their door. As he swiped the key card through and it made a small noise Haley's breath hitched and she realized that they were at a hotel, but she didn't say anything.

When they were completely inside and the door latched shut behind them Nathan stood right in front of Haley and slowly untied the scarf from her eyes.

Haley opened her eyes and looked first at Nathan and then looked around and saw that there was at least fifty little tea light candles covering the floor and that it was just a regular hotel room but the Pent House Suite. Once her gaze returned to Nathan he was smiling. "Nathan, what is this for? Our anniversary isn't until a few months."

Nathan shrugged and wrapped his arms around Haley's waist, pulling her against his chest. "This is my thanks. You have been an amazing wife and mother to Jamie and I just wanted to take you away from the craziness and try to be the little teenagers we once were before life got in the way." Nathan smiled as he brushed some hair out of Haley's eyes.

"Oh, Nathan," Haley cried and then pushed herself on her toes and kissed him passionately. "Should we try out the bed?" Haley laughed and then began walking backwards to the master bedroom in the suite seductively.

Nathan gulped and remembered the night of their first honeymoon where Haley walked backwards into their room. She was so gorgeous that Nathan often wondered when he got so lucky. "Defiantly, then we should totally test out the Jacuzzi, then maybe the couches…" Haley yanked him down on top of her before he could finish and began hungrily kissing him.

* * *

Brooke was on her way up to one of her apartments in New York to grab some files for the company. It was a small apartment but she mainly used to get away from everything. She reached her floor and opened the old elevator and walked to her door. Unlocking it she felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she stepped in and took in the mess that over took her apartment. She knew her head was shouting at her to get the hell out but curiosity got the better of her and she continued to walk in.

There were too many alcohol and beer bottled to count, along with a dozen of pizza boxes and Chinese takeout cups. Then it hit Brooke, Rachel was the only one who knew where this place was and she remembered Rachel used to date the front desk guy. Brooke began to worry again because she knew Rachel was going through some problems.

She had checked every room except hers. She cried out and covered her mouth when she saw who she was positive was Rachel laying face forward on the wooden floor with a red blanket sprawled across her. Brooke ran towards her and moved her onto her back. Brooke started to cry once she saw how blue she was in the face and immediately called 911.

"Yes, oh my god, my friend, she, um she's not breathing, oh my god," Brooke rambled to the voice on the phone.

_"Ma'am, you are going to have to give us the address so we can send someone over there, ma'am, please,"_

"Um okay, I am at the Burgundy Apartments on 3rd and Broadway, the top floor. I will, um I'll have the door open. Please hurry…" Brooke cried and dropped the phone as she fell to the floor beside Rachel and held her up. "Come on Rach, you gotta make it okay, you have to make it so I can kick your ass for doing this to yourself, come one…Rachel…" Brooke lost and began crying in Rachel's shoulder.

* * *

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise, but," Lucas got up from the bed and walked over to Peyton who was sitting it the side sofa chair holding on to the box with the ring he planned on asking her to marry him with. He laughed nervously before getting down on one knee and holding her hands in his, along with the ring box. "Peyton, I love you, and I want us to be together forever," Lucas began but was interrupted with Peyton leaning forward and kissing him harshly on the lips.

"Yes," Peyton said not even a centimeter away from his lips.

Lucas chuckled and looked into her eyes. "But you don't know what I am going to ask you," Lucas smiled and kissed her sweetly before leaning his forehead against hers.

"Luke, you are on one knee and I am pretty sure that I am holding a ring box." Peyton smirked which only made Lucas want to kiss her more. But he wanted to get through this because he had spent the whole plane ride out there rehearsing his speech.

"Let me finish okay? I have worked hard on this and it's kind of a big thing." Lucas said as he grabbed the ring box from Peyton's grasped and began rubbing soft circles on her palm with his left hand. Peyton mouthed 'okay'. "I have known you since we were kids. I have loved you, however since, since we were sixteen. You pulled me through everything bad and horrible in my life; you were there whether you knew it or not. You make me want to be better than I am. But, most of all," Lucas took Peyton's hand and held it to his heart. "You complete me."

Peyton blinked back tears of joy and was amazed that his heart was racing.

Then Lucas took Peyton's left hand and rubbed her ring finger lovingly. "Yesterday was a great day, and I was sitting on the bus and I realized that none of my great days in my life matter without you. You're the one I want next to me when my dreams come true; you're the one I want next to me if they don't. As long as I have you, nothing else matters." Lucas opened the box and smiled when Peyton gasped at the ring. "Marry me and make me the happiest man on the earth."

Peyton stared at the ring; it was silver and had a square cut diamond place in the center with two smaller diamonds at its side. She didn't realize she hadn't said anything until Lucas cleared his throat and her head shot up, "Oh, sorry, of course Luke, of course I'll marry you." Peyton smiled and then laughed when Lucas let out a sigh and then locked eyes with hers and began sliding the ring on her ring finger.

When Lucas looked back at Peyton, she had her mouth open but the words that were coming out her mouth didn't make sense. Only beeping noised were coming out. Suddenly the beeping noises got louder and they were hurting his ears so he closed his eyes. However, when he opened them as the beeping stopped he wasn't in the hotel room back in L.A. and Peyton Sawyer was nowhere to be found. He realized that it was all a dream. The fifth dream like this week you would think Lucas would stop believing them to be so real.

As he sat up in his bed from where he must have passed out after basketball practice with the team, he stared straight at his top drawer in his dresser. Sighing, he stood and walked over to the wooden dresser and opened the top drawer, moved some boxers and socks to the side and smiled when he saw the ring box and the few photos of Peyton still in the same spot. He hadn't really given much thought about why he still had those items, he knew he could get a lot of money for the ring, but yet, he didn't do anything about it. It just sat in his sock drawer alone.

He picked up the first photo, his favorite. It was one from when he had taken her out to see Ellie the beginning of their senior year. He was still dating Brooke but would refuse to not be friends with Peyton. Not that Brooke had asked him but sometimes when he brought up Peyton's name in conversation or mentioned something him and Peyton had done together Lucas would notice the wince Brooke's face had momentarily before smiling and saying something like, 'How nice,'. Peyton was smiling, which was rare that year, and her blonde hair wasn't curly and long, but short and straight. The wind had blown some of her bangs to flesh across her forehead and she was wearing his sunglasses and sporting the peace sign to the camera. She looked so happy, and carefree. _What happened?_ Lucas thought. And then he looked at the ring box and went, "Oh, yeah, that." He mumbled before picking it up as well, putting the photo back down. He gently opened it and smiled at how it screamed Peyton. And how he had spent like an hour picking it out and calling Haley every five minutes describing her rings he liked and needed a woman's opinion.

He had been so deep in thought that he didn't hear the front door shut and heels clicking against the old, hard wood flooring throughout the house.

"Whatcha doin?"

Lucas' eyes widened and he froze as he heard Lindsey gasp. _Shit_, he thought.

* * *

Peyton was sitting at her desk and it was around eight thirty at night and she couldn't understand why she was still there. She knew Brooke would be in New York for the night so maybe that's why she didn't want to go home.

Feeling hopeless and tired, Peyton got up and grabbed a few papers and demos and walked out of her office and out to her car. As she got in the car she buckled up and sat her purse in the passenger seat and slightly smiled at the white envelope with 'Lucas E. Scott' artistically and neatly scribbled across in red ink. She then turned the car on and felt her stomach leap at what song blared through the speakers.

* * *

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Lindsey asked from her spot on the bed.

Lucas closed his eyes and mentally hit himself for being so careless and then turned around to face Lindsey, having all intentions to tell her that this wasn't what it looked like but when she saw her face and she was smiling so big and her eyes were tearing up his strength disappeared. He looked down at Peyton's ring and then got on one knee and looked up to Lindsey who was now crying.

The two didn't notice that Lucas' alarm randomly went off and what song began playing.

_If I Should stay  
I would only be in your way  
So I'll go  
But I know  
I'll think of you every step of  
the way_

* * *

_And I...  
Will always  
Love you, oohh  
Will always  
Love you  
You  
My darling you _

Peyton let a few tears roll down her face at those words. That's exactly how she felt about Lucas. She loved him so much that she would let him go for him to be happy, even if that meant with 'Big Head Lindsey'. The fact was that she couldn't go back in time and say yes to him no matter how many times she had dreams of doing just that. It was in the past, it was her chance to make it and she broke it along with her heart and Lucas'. This was her fault not Lucas'.

_Bittersweet  
Memories  
That is all I'm taking with me  
So good-bye  
Please don't cry  
We both know I'm not what you  
You need_

She couldn't believe she was driving to Lucas' house to tell him just that; goodbye. Not that she was leaving Tree Hill; she just got back and didn't want to leave, at least not now. But she wanted to finally just get everything off of her chest and tell Lucas what she meant by not saying yes that night in the hotel.

She wasn't planning on winning him back if he chose to believe her; she just wanted him to know that she did believe in him, a lot. She believed in him much more than in herself.

Peyton listened to the rest of the song, hoping it would calm her nerves since she still had a couple blocks to go before hitting Lucas' neighborhood.

_I hope  
life treats you kind  
And I hope  
you have all you've dreamed of  
And I wish you joy  
and happiness  
But above all this  
I wish you love _

* * *

_And I...  
Will always love you  
I...  
Will always love you_

_I, I will always love  
You...  
You_

"Marry me Lindsey?" Lucas simply asked.

"Yes," Lindsey smiled and cried more as Lucas slipped Peyton's ring on her finger.

* * *

_Darling I love you  
I'll always_

Peyton frowned as she hit a curve in the road out by the lake, her car was making weird noises and began smoking profusely out through the hood. Peyton decided that she better stop the car to the side of the road and call someone to come and get her; but, when she hit the brakes nothing happened. Hitting the brakes harder this time and still nothing happening, Peyton began to freak out because she was less than fifty feet from a sharp curve with on its left was a downward slope with many tall, thick tree trunks.

* * *

_I'll always  
Love  
You…  
Oooh  
Ooohhh_

Lucas and Lindsey were already undressing and touching each other in every spot possible.

"Oh god, I love you so much Lucas," Lindsey moaned as Lucas entered her.

"I love you, too Lindsey," Lucas replied as he gently kissed her.

* * *

Peyton was crying as she came up to the curve and her brakes were still not working and she broke through the flimsy metal railing and down the hill. She could see anything because her headlights broke from the crashing through the railings.

She could still hear the radio and the last lines of the song and she screamed as she came up to an Oak tree and crashed dead into the base of the trunk, causing Peyton's upper body to crash against the steering wheel and the driver's side window.

She could see straight and there was an excruciating amount of pain on her side and head, plus everything was blurry and dark, very dark. Then everything went black.

_I'll always  
Love  
You…  
Oooh  
Ooohhh_

**The song was "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, of course; plus, its the title of the chapter. Now I _know_ for a fact that you need to tell me something so, review away. It's what makes the world go round. If there are no reviews and the world won't go round then how am I to update ever again? REVIEW PLEASE. Love you allllllll. **


	4. Irvine

**So sorry people! Hope I haven't lost anyone! Here it is! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Hush, Hush  
**_Irvine  
_Chapter Four

Lindsey grabbed her briefcase and headed out the front door of Lucas' house and walked to her car. She had to get to the airport in ten minutes for her plane flight to New York. She needed to inform her mother about her engagement plus she needed to tie up some clients with their stories and ask for some time off from her boss.

She was driving the back road and saw a black car pretty beat up against a tall oak tree. Fearing someone was hurt, she searched for her cell phone and dialed 911. Once the operator picked up she gave the location and what the cars looked like. "That poor person, I hope they will be okay…" Lindsey said to herself.

* * *

Lucas woke up with the early morning sun shine on his face. His head was clouded but the night before was still clear. He had proposed to Lindsey with the same exact ring he had proposed to Peyton three years ago. When did he become so stupid? Why was he so insecure? Why couldn't he just simply say to Lindsey that the ring was for her, but it was originally for Peyton and he didn't know why he kept it after these years? Why wasn't it easy, why wasn't this easy? Sure, he loved Lindsey, she was a great girl and they had been going strong for two years now but…when Peyton came back into town his life was snapped back to focus and everything he thought, did or read made him think of Peyton; which made what he did so wrong. Proposing to Lindsey after kissing Peyton? God, was he retarded?

He had to tell her before she heard it from anyone else. He knew it was going to be hard as hell and she would most likely through some more books at him or something but it was something he needed to do. He needed to step up and be a man about this at least.

Lucas took the next ten minutes getting himself together, what he was going to wear and what he was going to tell Peyton. He was finally ready and took off down the road, eventually merging onto the back roads.

Nothing in the world could prepare him for what he saw next; an all too familiar black Comet totaled so much at the front driver's side that it made it hard for someone to survive that. "Peyton!"

* * *

"So, she is in a self help facility now in downtown SoHo. It was hard but, she needs help, help I can't provide." Brooke finished up informing Millicent about Rachel overdosing in Brooke's old apartment in New York.

Millicent forced a smile even though she didn't really care for Rachel. "You did the right thing Brooke, she was in a pretty dark place and she needs professional help." Millicent lightly touched Brookes hand across the table.

Brooke smiled and nodded at Millicent. Then her phone rang. "Hold on, sorry," Brooke put up her index finger at Millicent and answered her iPhone. "Hello? Yes this is she, what? Oh my god, of course, yes I will be right there, no thank you." Brooke hung up and stared at her phone, feeling tears rack up her eyes. She hadn't realized her hands were shaking until Millicent grabbed her free hand.

"Brooke, are you okay?"

Brooke looked up and saw Millicent's worried face. "Um no," She choked and stood. "Can you pay for this; I will pay you back Peyton is in the hospital, she hit a tree last night or something." Brooke grabbed her purse and walked over to Millicent who stood as well.

"Yeah, sure Hun, is there anything-"

"No, don't say that yet, I will call you. Thank you Millie," Brooke smiled sadly and hugged her before running out of the restaurant.

As she ran to her car she dialed Haley's number. She knew she would be interfering in some serious Naley make up lovin' but this was urgent. "Hey Tutor Mom, um, yeah, yeah I know, I know, HALEY! Peyton is in the hospital, they are saying she is in a coma Haley, I don't know what to do…" Brooke sobbed but immediately took a deep breath to calm herself as she drove to. "You sure? Yeah okay. Thanks Hales, see you soon." Brooke hung up and threw her phone in her purse.

She thought about calling Luke, but figured Haley could do that. She turned into the parking lot of the Emergency Care and parked her car at a halt, roughly shutting the ignition and pulling her purse out of the car with her, running as fast as her new Jimmy Cho's would allow, into the hospital. As she made her way to the nurse's station she saw Peyton being pushed through the hall with three doctors in blue scrubs around her all talking at once. Concussion. Broken ribs. Heart beat faint. Loss of blood. Get her to the OR stat. Brooke started crying, but ran after them.

"Ma'am, you can't follow, you need to check in with the receptionist." One of the older doctors said, trying to hold Brooke back from following the gurney through the doors.

"But she is my best friend! Tell me she is going to be okay, please, oh my god," Brooke fell apart in the doctor's arms as she dropped to the floor, clutching her purse to her chest. "Peyton," She choked.

The doctor, not knowing what to do, walked away, leaving a shattered young brunette.

"Brooke!"

Brooke looked up and saw Lucas Scott running towards her. She pulled herself up off her legs and stood, shaking slightly. "Lucas, they…they, said…oh god she is in so much…I don't if she'll make…it," Brooke sobbed in Lucas' shoulder.

Lucas just rubbed her back and led her to two chairs and helped her sit down in one, him sitting himself down in the other. "Shush Brooke, you can't say that, you've gotta be strong for Peyt, she needs you now more than ever."

Brooke pulled away from Lucas and wiped the tears off her face, sniffing a little before clearing her throat and looking straight into Lucas' eyes. "Kind of hypocritically don't you think?" Brooke's face had no signs of brokenness anymore, just anger and determination.

"What do you mean Brooke?" Lucas quirked at her, sitting up in his seat.

"She needed you so much Lucas and then you walked out on her. You were the ONLY person that never left her and then you took that away from her. Why the hell are you here anyway?" Brooke snapped and got up to sit on the other side of the room.

Lucas closed his eyes and looked away. Why was he there?

* * *

**Now after reading that, review it! And tell me if I should kill Rachel off. LOL. I need your thoughts about it. The story can work either way just don't know and can't decide it myself so I am calling for your help! FEEL SPECIAL. :) **


	5. You're Not Alone

**A/N: **The title of the chapter and the song used is, "You're Not Alone" (Piano Acoustic) by Saosin.  
**A/N2: **Thanks to…of course spotsunshine for giving ideas and helping with basically the entire chapter like always. And to HS-NS-23 for being pissed off at Lucas Scott and feeding me amazing lines for Brooke. You're awesome you should know that.  
**A/N 3:** Here it is, sorry for the wait. But I can guarantee that this chapter will leave you…breathless? Angry? Sad? Happy? I dunno. All? Anywho. Read and review because reviews make the world go round. You wouldn't want the world to stop would you?

**Hush, Hush  
**_You're Not Alone  
_Chapter Five

Brooke sat stone still in the very uncomfortable hospital chair. She didn't want to look at Lucas and she sure as hell didn't want to talk to him. How dare he? Of course she knew she had to be strong for Peyton. She had been strong for that girl for over fourteen years no way would she stop now when she was unconscious and bruised and broken. She loved Lucas and she knew he was just trying to be Lucas but damn it, it doesn't work when he has been Un-Lucas to Blondie for so long when she didn't even deserve it. Lucas was always trying to make things right with everyone so it boggled her why he hadn't tried with Peyton.

Brooke risked taking a glance at Lucas. He was slouched forward, his head in his hands. Maybe that's why he is here, this is his reasoning. To fix it somehow. She had to give him credit. At least he is here. He could have stayed away and hid. Like the time when the roles were reversed and he was in the hospital and she was scared to see him. Given, at the time Brooke was dating Lucas and she didn't know the real reason why she was scared, just thought it was 'cause she hated hospitals.

She sighed and got up, walking slowly over to Lucas, wrapping her arm around his shoulders tightly. "I am sorry I was a bitch. You have any right to be here as me. Forgive me?"

Lucas sat up and wrapped his arm around Brooke, chuckling lightly. "Always Pretty Girl, always."

They sat there, just like that, arm around arm, heads bowed and staring at the icky tiles that resembled barf stains while they waited for probably the most important person in both of their lives to get better or wake up.

"Brooke!"

Brooke's head shot up for the second time in one hour there in the waiting room and saw Haley and Nathan running towards her and Lucas. Well correction, Nathan was walking as fast as he could while his dainty wife ran ahead and pulled Brooke into the biggest huge.

"Tutor teach, I need air, Tigger needs air," Brooke gasped but patted Haley on the back.

"Oh, gosh, sorry. How is she? Do we know anything? God I hate this place, do you know how many times we have all been in here? They should donate a wing to us! And what is with the new tile?-"

"Hales, your rambling," Nathan wrapped an arm around her back and kissed her temple and looked at Brooke.

Haley blushed. "I am sorry Brooke, how are you holding up?" Haley rubbed Brooke's shoulder and gave her a sad, tilted smile.

Brooke took a long sigh before smiling, telling Haley without saying anything at all that she was barely hanging on and that she couldn't say how she felt yet because that meant she was giving in.

"Hey man," Nathan greeted Lucas.

"Hey," Lucas nodded to Nathan after shaking his hand and bumping shoulders with him and doing a side hug.

Haley hugged Lucas, a little less gripping, and kissed him on the cheek. "Let me know when you need to talk…" She whispered and he knew what she meant. Whenever he couldn't take it anymore and needed his best friend to tell him it was okay that he was missing Peyton and feared she would not make it and that he was falling in love with the curly blonde spit fire all over again. _Wait, what?_

"The doctor, well um a doctor, said she was in pretty bad shape. Her ribs are cracked, a few broken. She has a concussion and I think they said her arm was broken. But her heartbeat was very faint and slow and she lost a lot of blood." Brooke rushed out. She hated being the bearer of bad news.

They all nodded and stood in silence.

"Well, let's just sit down then." Lucas offered and walked over to a corner with six chairs and sat down.

"I am going to go call Skills real quick." Haley kissed Nathan and walked off to the side of the waiting room to call Skills.

Meanwhile, a tall man dressed in a police uniform approached the group. "Is a…Brooke Davis here?"

Brooke raised her hand feeling nervous and stood. "That's me, I am Brooke Davis,"

The policeman nodded and smiled, handing her a brown box with some objects in it. "Here is the stuff out of your friend's car. The car was totaled and beyond repair so we gathered up all her stuff, minus all the fast food wrappers, into this here box."

Brooke struggled to hold the heavy box. _Jesus Peyt, did you forget you had a house to put all this shit in?_ "Thank you sir," Brooke smiled and sat back down, staring at the contents within the box. There were some CDs-of course, it wouldn't be Peyton Sawyer's car without those-her leather jacket from Ellie, a few files from the studio and her keys were laying right smack on top of the jacket. Brooke felt tears threaten her eyes as she stared down the keys. What was P. Sawyer going to be without her Comet? That car had been such a monumental thing for her and made P. Sawyer…well… P. Sawyer. She picked the key chain up and gripped it in her hands and shut her eyes, trying to remember the last time she had been in the car with Peyton.

"Let me see that jacket Brooke," Nathan asked from across her.

Brooke looked up at him in a daze before she realized he had asked for the jacket. "Um sure, here," She picked it up to hand it to him but half way a few photos fell out. Brooke gasped when she saw the familiar one of Peyton when she was not even a day old and Ellie, smiling at each other. The photo was torn at the edge and you could tell it was faded but the love in Ellie's eyes was still there.

This wasn't right; Ellie should be here for Peyton too. Shit, her Dad should be here for Peyt. Brooke sighed as she looked around at Lucas and Nathan and then Haley who had just rejoined the group and smiled. _At least she has us…_

"Oh my God, this is so old!" Haley giggled and picked up another photo. It was of Peyton, Haley, Lucas, Brooke and Nathan all on the picnic table at the Rivercourt their senior year which seemed forever ago. Peyton was on Lucas' lap, looking quite the temptress as Lucas was looking downward but you could tell he was laughing at the time of the picture. Haley was sitting on the bench in between Nathan's legs, holding onto her belly with her finger tips-eight months pregnant and all, as Nathan was looking down at her like she was his entire world. And Brooke, Brooke was the funniest of them all. She was sitting in between both couples, legs crossed all lady-like and her elbows resting on her left knee and her palms flat facing the sky, her face wearing a sly smile while her eyes faced the heavens. That picture of Brooke showed her personality in a nutshell.

Lucas chuckled at a picture of Brooke and Peyton lying on Peyton's bed in the midst of the pictures on the yucky tile. It was just an old Polaroid. He found himself lightly rubbing his thumb over Peyton's face and tearing up. She had to make it out of this.

Nathan smiled and picked up a photo of Peyton and Jamie. It was from a basketball game a few weeks earlier and Jamie was wearing his oversized jersey with the number ½ on the back. Jamie had his arms up in the air in obvious victory and his face wore a 'toughie' expression Nathan taught him and he was on Peyton's shoulders. Peyton on the other hand was laughing. It was rare these past days to see Peyton Sawyer laugh so this picture was refreshing. Jamie loved his Auntie Peyton. _Jamie…_

"Hales, what did you tell Skills?" Nathan asked, setting the photo in the box which was on the ground along with Brooke who was staring at a picture of herself and Peyton, the same one Lucas was looking at a moment ago.

Haley looked up and set the picture she was looking at in the box as well. "Oh shoot fire, I am supposed to go home and take Jamie off his hands and he was going to come up here for a bit." Haley turned to Brooke and touched her shoulder lightly. "Call me when you hear anything more okay?"

Brooke smiled a teary smile and nodded, then went back to looking at the picture, touching Peyton's face as well.

Lucas grabbed Brooke's hand making her look at him and frown. "We can't do this, come on let's go get some coffee." Lucas helped her up off the ground and wrapped his arm around her, turning to Nathan. "Want anything little brother?"

"A coffee would be nice. Thanks." Nathan said as he pulled a Sports Illustrated magazine off the rack and started to flip through it.

Nathan sat back, not looking at anything in particular. The hospital seemed to be in a smudged blur. Peyton has to pull through this. Who was going tell him the truth when he was acting like an egotistical jackass? Beside Haley, Peyton called him on his shit. Who was going to go to therapy with him? Sure he was gaining strength back in his legs but therapy wasn't over. She had gone with him to each session. Who was going to go to silly movies with him and throw popcorn at the stupid teenagers who were either making out or being loud? Who was going to see all of his possibilities?

"Dawg, I know I am sexy but it's kind of creeping me out, you staring at me for the past minute straight."

Nathan's head shot up, not realizing he was spacing out on Skills. "Oh, hey sorry man, just thinking about Peyton," Nathan sat up.

Skills nodded and walked over to the seat next to him. "Me too, me too, she better get out of this…I still need to show her how to pop, lock and drop it."

Nathan turned to Skills and raised an eyebrow.

"You know, Operation Steal Lucas Back. Brooke hasn't told you?"

Nathan laughed and shook his head. "And Peyton popping, locking, and dropping it is going to win Lucas back how exactly?"

Skills chuckled and shrugged. "Come on, Peyton in some sexy nurse outfit, exposing her creamy legs while dropping it? Would you resist that?" Skills raised an eyebrow at Nathan this time.

Nathan smiled and nodded but then paused. "Why the nurse outfit?"

"Oh, cuz Luke must have had amnesia and forgot how lucky he was with Skinny Girl." Skills shrugged and Nathan made an 'oh' sound.

"So you on the LEYTON bandwagon too?" Nathan asked.

"Hell yeah dawg, always have always will. Ever since way back when you was still with her and he was pinning over her. Shit, I remember the day we were all at the rivercourt and she drove by. Man, Lucas was like transfixed on her or something, I had to throw the ball at his ass to get his attention."

Nathan chuckled.

"I really hope this opens his eyes," Skills said in a low voice.

Nathan heard him and nodded once more but said nothing.

"But, if that don't happen you know I love me some Blondie." Skills rubbed his hands together, doing a little throw back with his shoulders in his seat.

Nathan laughed whole heartily and went back to staring at nothing in particular.

* * *

Brooke and Lucas returned from the cafeteria with Nathan's coffee to see Skills sitting next to him. "Hey Skills," Lucas greeted with a stern expression as Skills got up and hugged him.

Then Skills walked over to Brooke and at first stared in her eyes. He and Brooke had gotten a lot closer these past months with Lucas being a jackass and Nathan being a stubborn ass and Peyton being depressed and stressed. He knew this was killing her and that he needed his new found friend to break down so he wouldn't feel so dumb that he was holding in his breakdown. "Baby girl," He mustered and then she came crying again and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her. "Shush, Skinny Legs is mad fighter, she gonna kick this and be back to schooling us at everything under the sun, including Halo 3." He chuckled and felt Brooke nod against his chest and he ran his fingers through her short hair.

Lucas and Nathan bowed their heads at this site; they couldn't imagine how Brooke was feeling. Sure Lucas had history with her, and so did Nathan but Brooke and Peyton gone through two dead mother, three absentee parents, jail time, Lucas Scott himself twice, and a psycho.

"Well, I just wanted to come by to see how you all were doing but I need to go home and shower, eat something but then I will be back up later tonight." Skills announced after he pulled away from Brooke.

"Okay, see you in a bit." Brooke sniffled.

"Yeah, I need to go home and change as well. Then Haley will be up later tonight as well. Call if anything changes alright?" Nathan said and both Brooke and Lucas nodded.

"Hey, I think I am going to go walk around, I can't just sit. Wanna join?" Lucas asked Brooke, resting his hand on her shoulder.

Brooke shook her head hastily. "No, I want to stay here."

"Okay, I will be back soon." Lucas hugged Brooke and took off walking down a hall.

Brooke didn't want to cry anymore, she wanted to be strong for Peyton but it was so hard. What would you do if your best friend in the entire world was teetering life and death? Brooke decided to take her mind off that and look at what else was in the box. She pulled out some files to see what other bands Peyt was looking into producing and saw a list with a few names scribbled on it but 'Meiko' was highlighted and had a few song titles written next to it; How Lucky We Are, Reasons to Love and Boys With Girlfriends. Brooke first thought how weird that name was then she looked up the songs on her iPhone.

_Cos I know better not to be friends with boys with girlfriends  
oh I know better than that I know better  
you play the victim and I'll be the bad guy  
I know better than that, I know better  
_

Brooke laughed and thought how perfect that was for Peyton and her thoughts about Lindsey.

After listening to the other three songs she began to miss Peyton more.

As she was placing the folder back in its spot something fell out onto her lap. Scrunching her brows she picked it up, turning it around to see Lucas's name in red across the front.

After staring at for what seemed eternity, Brooke decided to open it.

_Dear Lucas,_

_That sounds so flat, so unfamiliar doesn't it? 'Dear Lucas'? It should be 'Dear Lucas Eugene Scott, the only man that has ever held my heart captive and close to his. The only man that still makes my heart skip a beat and my breath to hitch. The only man that can stare me down from across a room and see right through me so god damn easily.' There. That sounds better._

_It's __funny__ how big of an __impact__ you have on me. It's like __when__ I see you, you __don't even__ have to speak. All you __have to do__ is smile, and it can __make__ my day, and then that's how I remember my __reasons__ for loving you. "It's always going to be there; you and I." Remember when you told me that once? It seems you have forgotten. It seems like you have forgotten a lot of the things you've said, or have written. How can you forget them and not care? You said it was me, you said it was always me and that you would wait forever for me. Forever Luke!_

_I've been through so much with you and I still want you as much as I did the first time I laid my eyes on you. Every time I see you, it's like meeting you for the first time all over again. It's the butterflies in my stomach and not knowing what to say. But out of all the things you've taught me and showed me, there are still a few things I don't understand. And I few things I don't know._

_I wish I could say that we had a happy ending. I wish I could say everything worked out. I wish I could say that our once upon a time ended in happily ever after, but that kind of stuff just doesn't happen to me. You're always saving me. Remember? I need to save myself now. And in order for that to happen I need to let go of you. All of you. All of your words and all the different laughs you have, the way your right eyebrow twitches up when you think you said something smartass, the way your eyes sort of go cross eyed when you look me in my eyes. The way your arms wrapped around my body, making me feel so safe and warm. The way your lips taste. The way your hand fit perfectly in mine. I need to save me, be my own hero because you have to be your own hero twice as much; once for you and once for Lindsey._

_I don't know exactly how much I mean to you, and I don't know how to tell you that I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life and as I stand here looking at you. I doubt there will ever be a day when I will get over your smile or your love. There will never be a day when I let go of the hugs or kisses you gave me, which I can still constantly feel. There will never be a day when I forget the words you said to me. I will never forget what you meant to me, or how much I will always love you. No matter what happens with you, or between us. I will never let go, get over, or forget about you.  
_

_But, I am not writing this to rehash the past, just to tell you this: _

_I have this theory that the more important and intimate the emotion, the fewer the words are required to express it. For instance, in dating, 'Will you go out with me?' Six words. 'I think I care for you.' Five words. 'You matter to me.' Four words. 'I love you.' Three words. 'Marry me.' Two words. So what's left? What's the most important and intimate word you can ever say to somebody? It's 'Goodbye.'_

_Goodbye… __The most perfect act of love is sacrifice. It's what Keith did for your mom. I love you Luke, you know I do and I think I have ever since we locked eyes. I love you enough to watch you walk __away; to think of your happiness over mine. And I love you enough to know that no one will ever love you as much as me. I love you enough to know that you deserve everything Luke, everything in the world; so if she can give it to you…then let her. And at last, I love you enough to be the one to walk away last, I love you enough to be able to watch you walk away to her and not break down completely because we had our day and it was amazing, probably the best days of my life. But if that's what you want then I'm gonna do it. Don't worry about me; don't regret the kiss because I don't. Be happy Luke. I want that will all my heart._

_Forever and Always,  
__Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer_

Brooke felt her face wet with tears once more. Peyton was so strong, continued to be so strong always. She was wondering when she was going to break. She couldn't believe she was going to let Lucas go. She can't, not yet, not when she and Skills were working on the most amazing plan to get them together. It was always them two, always. No Lindsey could change that or alter it. _Love is not love which alters, when an alteration finds. When life gets hard, when things change…true love remains the same. _This is only a bump in the road for them, next to all the others.

Why couldn't this all be a dream; a bad, bad dream?

"Miss Davis?"

Brooke looked up with tears in her eyes. "Yes?" She choked.

"Miss Sawyer came out of her surgery fine, but she is in a coma." The nurse reported and briefly touched Brookes shoulder and then walked off.

"Oh God," She cried and brought her hands to her mouth and sobbed. She then took off running to find Lucas.

* * *

"Lindsey, hi. What are you doing here?" Lucas asked stunned.

"I came home when Haley called me about Peyton, how is she doing?" Lindsey asked, her stomach churning for some reason.

"She…I don't really know to tell you the truth. She was beaten up pretty bad. Lost a lot of blood and broke some of her ribs and had a concussion." Lucas rubbed his forehead before refocusing on Lindsey. 

"Are you alright hun?" Lucas pushed some hair behind her ear, leaving his hand there and rubbing her cheek.

"Mhmm," She nodded and then blinked. She didn't know what scared her more; the fact that Lucas didn't call her about Peyton and he looked like he had been at the hospital all day or that she had a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her something was off about Peyton's accident. "Listen, let's not tell anyone about the engagement right now, let's wait until things die down."

"WHAT?!"

Lucas turned around and Lindsey moved her head to look over Lucas' shoulder at tear stained faced Brooke.

"Brooke are you-" Lindsey began.

"YOU'RE ENGAGED?" Brooke screamed, looking more towards Lucas than Lindsey AND Lucas.

"Brooke," Lucas calmed.

"No, how could you? Now?" Brooke whispered low enough for only Lucas to hear.

Lucas opened his mouth to say something but snapped it shut when he had nothing, no excuses, no lines, nothing.

Brooke blinked tears away and fake smiled over his shoulder at Lindsey whose jaw was agape and tilted her head. "Excuse us for just a tiny moment Linds," Brooke snapped and grabbed Lucas by his arm tightly, ever so subtly digging her nails into his flesh.

Lindsey took a deep breath and steadied herself against the wall. Why was she nervous? Scared? Frightened? Why did she think Jason had something to do with Peyton's accident…?

**FLASHBACK**

_Lindsey practically threw herself down at the bar and pounded the counter to get Owens's attention for a dry martini-dirty. After she received it she also ordered two shots of tequila._

"_Whoa," Lindsey turned around to face the deep voice that spoke. She cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Jason? Aren't you that bad-ass, bad boy Peyton fired?" Lindsey asked, slurring at 'Peyton' and then finishing off her last shot._

"_Yeah that would be me, who pissed you off?" Jason asked as he too finished his last shot._

"_Who do you think?" Lindsey glared at Jason, not really caring that she was having this conversation with such a scumbag. It was a scumbag that would listen and that's all she needed right now._

"_Curly blonde right? The bitch fired me…god I hate that bimbo." Jason shouted, ignoring the looks from the other people sitting around him._

"_I just wish she would disappear, like __poof__ and she'd be gone and everyone could go back to their lives." Lindsey ranted, not noticing the crazed look Jason got in his eyes._

"_I can take care of it; wait here make sure Peyton and Brooke stay here." Jason said right before he got up and began his stroll to the exit._

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Lindsey laughed at herself and the way she was acting. Jason? Weird Jason? What? Running her off the road? No way.

Then why did she feel…somewhat responsible?

* * *

Once they were outside Brooke shoved him up against the wall hard and smacked him. "Seriously?" She yelled, causing a few passersby's to stop and gasp. Brooke turned to them. "WHAT?" After the people walked away in a rush Brooke turned to Lucas who was rubbing his cheek.

"Jesus Brooke, what was that for?" Lucas bellowed.

"That was for Peyton. How could you? Now, when she is in the hospital, in a fucking coma?" Brooke screeched, her arm signaling the hospital.

"IT HAPPENED BEFORE PEYTON GOT IN A WRECK BROOKE! WHAT THE HELL?" Lucas yelled back, throwing his arms in the air as well.

"Okay fine, but what about the kiss?" Brooke snapped coldly, seriously debating if she should smack him again or knee him in the balls.

"What about it? It was a mistake!" Lucas replied.

Brooke opted for kneeing, that way he couldn't do anything with Big headed Lindsey and that would be satisfaction for her and Peyton, even if Peyton wasn't conscious to know it. She was about to do so when Lucas spoke up.

"Wait, did you say she is in a coma?" Lucas choked; he felt himself slouch slightly against the wall.

"Yeah, she is, but remember? It was all a big mistake to you!" Brooke screamed, kneeing him and punching him-hard-both sounding marvelous right about now.

"I love Lindsey," He said back above a whisper, looking at her under his eyelashes.

That did it. Why did this boy insist on being an idiot? Brooke kneed him in the balls, hard causing him to gasp out in pain. Brooke smiled briefly before glaring down at him. "Oh, you mean like you loved me but went to Peyton behind my back?!" She screamed but then took a deep breath and walked up close and personal with Lucas and grabbed his hand in hers. "No matter who you say you love, you always go back to Peyton. Doesn't that tell you something? Are you that stubborn and dense to realize that?" Brooke searched his eyes for an answer because she knew he wouldn't give her one.

"What the hell is your problem Brooke?" Lucas asked coldly and tried to decrease the shooting pain in his groin by spreading his legs some. He didn't like having his feelings pushed like that, even if deep down she knew Brooke was right.

Brooke jolted his hand out of hers hastily and took a step back. She leaned forward to say something and then leaned back to run her hands over her face in anger. "My problem? Really, you wanna go THERE? MY problem is YOU. And how you keep walking over these girls. You kiss Peyton and then propose to Lindsey? Yeah, hmm, I wonder what MY PROBLEM IS!"

_You're not alone  
There's more to this I know  
You can make it out  
You will live to tell_

Lucas just fell silent.

Brooke shook her head. "Why are you even here…you say you love Lindsey. Why have you not left this hospital all day?"

"Because she's my friend, Brooke."

Brooke shook her head. "No she isn't. She is the woman you left in a hotel room after she asked you to WAIT for her."

"She IS my friend Brooke," Lucas copped back, who did Brooke think she was telling him who his friends were?

"You have a funny fucking way of showing it then Luke, a funny way. Do you even know how many times I had to comfort YOUR FRIEND because of your jackass self?! How many times?" Lucas shook his head slowly. "ONE, the night that you vanished from her life THREE YEARS AGO. TWO, when she found about Lindsey. THREE, when you told her that that guy wasn't good enough for her! FOUR!" Brooke took a breath, emotions over taking her mind for Peyton. "Four, you blamed her for NOT CARING? She does care Luke! In my opinion she cares too much! She cares if you think she can make it here, she cares that you can't write another book!" Brooke was crying now.

_You're not alone  
There's more to this I know  
You can make it out  
You will live to tell_

Lucas felt his eyes filling with unshed tears as well as he bowed his head.

"LOOK AT ME!" Brooke yelled, jumping at her own voice. "FIVE, you kissed her back! You kissed her back and said you had to go to Lindsey! Who does that?!" Brooke wished she had some books or something hard to throw at him as he was shaking his head at her, a tear trickling down his cheek, falling off his jaw and onto his shirt. "Want me to go on? I can PREDICT the numbers of times whenever she finds THIS out!" Brooke yelled.

Lucas just stood there, in shock at Brooke and everything she was saying and how all of it stung him like a bee. He hadn't realized how his words or actions, or lack of words and actions had affected Peyton; how they had affected Brooke. "Brooke, I…" Lucas began.

Brooke shook her head furiously and placed her hands in front of her to stop him. "Don't pretend to care right now Luke, just don't." She looked down at the letter that was crushed within her fist. "When you run from something, it only stays with you longer." Brooke whispered and gave him the letter and ran inside leaving a very confused Lucas staring down at the envelope.

* * *

Brooke brought herself together and walked to the nurses' station and smiled sweetly at the old woman sitting there. "Hi, can you tell me which room Peyton Sawyer is in?"

"Sure thing sweetie," The nurse rolled in her chair to a chart behind her then rolled back. "Room 164 sugar." She smacked her gum and smiled.

Brooke nodded and said thanks before walking quickly down the hall to Peyton's room.

_You're not alone  
There's more to this I know  
You can make it out  
You will live to tell_

* * *

Outside sat a broken Lucas Scott, on the ground reading a piece of paper.

_And at last, I love you enough to be the one to walk away last, I love you enough to be able to watch you walk away to her and not break down completely because we had our day and it was amazing, probably the best days of my life._

"Oh God, what have I done?" He whispered to himself.

* * *

"Hey buddy," Brooke greeted a silent Peyton, Brooke's voice a bit weary and unsteady. Peyton seemed to be hooked up to all sorts of machines and she was bruised and bandaged that if it wasn't for the somewhat matted curly blonde locks Brooke wouldn't have recognized her. Brooke's eyes darted slowly around at each machine, eyeing closely. It was then that she started to hear the steady beeping from one machine that studied her heartbeat. _At least it's beating…_She thought as she walked over to Peyton's side and pulled her hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. "Peyt, oh god, Peyt," She broke down and felt herself kneeling next to Peyton.

"He asked Lindsey to marry him! Right after he kissed you. Jackass. God!" Brooke opened her eyes to look at Peyton. She had noticed the tubes going into her nostrils and the breathing equipment taped to her mouth. "You…you have to come out of this P. Sawyer…I mean HAVE to. This world…it doesn't seem right without you in it…yeah I know don't get so emotional B. Davis. But…what am I suppose to do? I can't deal with _Victoria_ alone." Brooke continued on sobbing.

"He just doesn't realize…doesn't realize he had you, still has you, even right now." Brooke whispered to Peyton. Then she heard the single most scariest thing beside Nathan's singing.

'BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP…."

_We're not alone  
There is more to this I know  
You can make it out  
You will live to tell_


	6. Open Your Eyes

**A/N:** Part of the Lindsey/Brooke fight goes credit to HS-NS-23! And of course thanks to the lovely spotsunshine for helping as well.

**Hush, Hush  
**_Open Your Eyes_  
Chapter Six

_All this feels strange and untrue  
And I won't waste a minute without you  
My bones ache, my skin feels cold  
And I'm getting so tired and so old_

"Hey buddy," Brooke greeted a silent Peyton, Brooke's voice a bit weary and unsteady. Peyton seemed to be hooked up to all sorts of machines and she was bruised and bandaged that if it wasn't for the somewhat matted curly blonde locks Brooke wouldn't have recognized her. Brooke's eyes darted slowly around at each machine, eyeing closely. It was then that she started to hear the steady beeping from one machine that studied her heartbeat. _At least it's beating…_She thought as she walked over to Peyton's side and pulled her hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. "Peyt, oh god, Peyt," She broke down and felt herself kneeling next to Peyton.

"He asked Lindsey to marry him! Right after he kissed you. Jackass. God!" Brooke opened her eyes to look at Peyton. She had noticed the tubes going into her nostrils and the breathing equipment taped to her mouth. "You…you have to come out of this P. Sawyer…I mean HAVE to. This world…it doesn't seem right without you in it…yeah I know don't get so emotional B. Davis. But…what am I suppose to do? I can't deal with _Bitchtoria_ alone." Brooke continued on sobbing.

"He just doesn't realize…doesn't realize he had you, still has you, even right now." Brooke whispered to Peyton. Then she heard the single most scariest thing beside Nathan's singing.

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP…."

"_Go gettem Brookie." Peyton smacked Brooke's butt and nudged her to the boarding area for her flight to New York. Victoria, Brooke's mom, had got them a deal and studio up there so they could work on networking better. _

_Brooke pushed out her bottom lip and gave Peyton her best puppy dog eyes. "But, I don't wanna," She whined._

_Peyton laughed. "Do you want some cheese with that whine B. Davis?" Peyton cocked an eyebrow. _

_**The flight to New York, New York is boarding right now. Make your way to Flight 134 on the east side. I repeat flight 134 to New York City, New York is boarding.**_

_Peyton smiled and turned to Brooke. "That's you honey!" She grinned and hugged her best friend once more; taking in everything she could of her. "You're still my best friend. As far as I'm concerned, distance doesn't matter." Peyton whispered in Brooke's ear and patted her once more on the butt and released her and jerked her head to the boarding area._

_Brooke smiled and kissed Peyton on the cheek and then walked away before she changed her mind or worse, balled. _

"Doctor Marx, CPR. Montgomery checks her charts; find out what caused her heart to stop."

Brooke stood up and back away from the doctors and nurses working on Peyton. Everything seemed to go by in a blur and suddenly the steady beeping took the place of the loud constant noise and Peyton's chest was rising and falling healthy.

* * *

"Jamie decided to stay over at Uncle Skill's house. I swear that kid is going to wear Skills out!" Haley laughed.

Nathan nodded. "Apparently he has his own seat there and shelf in the fridge."

Lucas threw his head back briefly, laughing as well. He was about to say something when a policeman walked over to them.

"Which one of you is here for Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer?"

Lucas stood up and nodded to him. "I am."

The cop raised an eyebrow. "And you would be?"

"I am her boy…friend. Her friend. Lucas. Lucas Scott." Lucas coughed.

Nathan and Haley looked at each other and both raised an eyebrow then turned their focus back on Lucas.

"I will be right back." Lucas told them and walked off with the doctor.

"Hi, I am Officer Berkins. After the towing company dropped the car of at the department's forensic study, they determined that it looks like a suicide attempt. Now, do you know if Miss Sawyer was feeling-"

Lucas held his hand up and closed his eyes shut and was about to say something when someone else did.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Peyton did NOT try to kill herself! Are you a psychologist? No, you wear a blue suit and eat donuts all day!"

Lucas looked around and saw Brooke's tear stained face and brought her into his arms out of pure habit. They might not be dating anymore but he always felt that need with her.

"Excuse you; do you know who you are talking to?" The officer became infuriated.

"No, except you're a cop. Now how about this, you go out and write tickets for people running stop signs." Brooke snapped and was about to lunge after the old man if it wasn't for Lucas' death grip around her waist.

Lucas wrapped his other arm around Brooke's tiny waist and pulled her away. "Thank you officer," He whispered and brought Brooke over to the group but halfway there Brooke broke down. Lucas could have said something but he didn't, what would he say? It would get better? No. That's crap and he had no clue if it would get better or if it will all be okay. They had all been dealt their fair share of tragedies here in Tree Hill.

"Hey, Brooke, Tigger honey come here,"

Lucas heard behind him, his best friend's voice. Lucas let go of Brooke and let her fall into the arms of Haley.

_The anger swells in my guts  
And I won't feel these slices and cuts_

* * *

"Man you do know you have that face on." Nathan said without looking up from the newspaper in his hand.

Lucas looked over at his brother and furrowed his eyebrows. "What face? And better yet what are you talking about?" Lucas looked to his brother and then to his friend Skills. "What face?"

Skills and Nathan shared a look and smirked.

"Your 'gotta save Curly fry' face dawg." Skills answered and shook his head.

"I am not wearing that face; I mean I care about her and all but,"

"But you are still in love with her." Nathan filled in.

"No,"

"Yes," Skills said back, staring at Lucas seriously. "Dude, you haven't gone home to your fiancé for three days. You are starting to smell."

Lucas opened his mouth to say something but got up instead and walked off.

Skills let out a loud whistle. "Lucasey-bullshit dude, bulllllshit Nate." Skills shook his head causing Nathan to laugh.

_I want so much to open your eyes  
'Cause I need you to look into mine_

* * *

How dare they, Lucas thought to himself, some friends they are. He was knocked out of his thoughts when something hit the back of his head. "Ow!?" Lucas turned around, rubbing his head and stared in shock at the old man standing a few feet away. "Coach?"

"Don't you coach me you filthy man whore." Whitey shook his finger at Lucas and opened the newspaper and pointed to a small, yet noticeable article in the commitments section. "How stubborn headed are you?"

Lucas ran his eyes across the paper and felt his blood boil. He didn't tell Lindsey she could put an announcement of their engagement in the newspaper yet. Then it hit him that coach had called him a whore. "Did you…did you just call me a whore Coach?" Lucas furrowed his brows.

"No. I called you a man whore. Isn't that the terminology nowadays?" Whitey asked as he took the paper away and walked off.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

* * *

Brooke finally left Peyton's room to see who was all still out in the waiting room. She was glad to see it was just Nathan. "Hey superstar, where's little Jamie?" Brooke asked as she walked over to him and sat down.

"He has been staying over at Mouth's and Skills' place. How are you holding up?" Nathan asked.

"Eh, I am doing the best I can but I just feel so helpless you know?" Brooke ran her hands through her hair.

"Yeah, um hey, you need to see something. I think you are the only one who can get through to Luke and this is definitely something that calls for some B. freaking Davis." Nathan pulled out a newspaper and handed it over to Brooke and pointed to the article.

"What the hell?" She exclaimed softly.

"Yeah, mine and Skills thoughts exactly. I mean I want my brother to be happy and all but I want him to be happy with the woman who makes him the happiest. Does that make sense?" Nathan asked.

Brooke smiled softly at him. "Yeah, I feel the same way about Peyt." She continued smiling until she saw a big head of dirty blonde hair walk into the waiting area. "Excuse me." She stood up and followed Lindsey to the cafeteria. When she saw that Lindsey was ordering some breakfast she decided to sit down. Luckily there was a magazine close by.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

"Hey Brooke, how's Peyton doing?" Lindsey asked and Brooke didn't mishear the bitchy tone hidden by the not so sincere voice Lindsey tried to carry.

"You know when I came back I tried to be nice, it was a thing I was working on with myself in New York. Trying to not be that girl, that bitch that no one wanted to talk to in the fashion industry. You see out there it's a daily battle. So imagine my surprise when I see you. But like I said every day is a battle. Isn't that right Linds? How many times, days, mornings did you wake up asking yourself if Lucas really loved you?" Brooke continued flipping through her magazine. She didn't have to hear an answer or look at Lindsey's face to know that answer. She knew it all with the change of her breathing pattern.

"How dare you! Lucas asked me to marry him!" Lindsey stood, towering over Brooke.

Brooke scoffed and stood as well. "OH honey, please! Anybody can ask someone to marry them, that's the no brainer. The tough part, the most important part, is that their heart is in it." Brooke copped back.

"I know his heart is with me" Lindsey retorted hoping Brooke didn't hear the quiver in her voice.

"Yea that's why Lucas is at the hospital waiting for Peyton to wake up!" Brooke laughed agitatedly.

"He just feels sorry that she keeps throwing herself at him." Lindsey laughed and then yelped when Brooke's hand smacked her cheek, earning a loud cracking noise in the cafeteria.

Brooke, completely ignoring the looks from everyone in there, stuck her index finger right in Lindsey's face. ""DON'T YOU DARE! Don't you dare talk about Peyton and this whole situation like you HAVEN'T had your head shoved so far up your ass that you don't know what is fiction and reality! He fucking wrote a whole book about his love for her which you edited. How naïve can you possibly be? Really, please enlighten me. This magazine is from last month." Brooke slapped the VOUGE magazine on the bland cafeteria table.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

Lindsey bit the inside of her cheek and folded her arms, wondering why Brooke was so bitchy to her all of a sudden. "What's reality is that Lucas and I are getting married and that little fake blonde tramp is not going to get in our way!" Lindsey knew she shouldn't have called Peyton that and then earned another slap to the other cheek.

Brooke was slowly but surely starting to realize what Lucas saw in the bitch. She was too dense to get it. She was to stupid and naïve to figure it out that she was only his second best. "Yeah, that's why your hair is an exact replica of hers?" Brooke pursed her lips and folded her arms as well, thinking why the hell security hadn't thrown the two of them out by now so Brooke could seriously kick some ass.

Lindsey's hands were shaking slightly as she attempted to look sturdy. "I had blonde hair in high school and all the celebrities are going blonde."

"Bull shit." Brooke said back, raising an eyebrow. "All the celebrities are cutting their hair. Hello! Do you not know who the hell you are talking to? I know all the gossip!"

Lindsey opened her mouth then shut it, truly speechless.

Brooke rolled her eyes, truly irritated with the woman and her endless bull shit. "Listen, you seem like an okay girl without the constant stupidity that flows far too easily out of your mouth for being an editor-"

"Listen to me you bitch! I am not stupid! So what I am in love with a guy that used to be in love with another woman! So what! He loves me and I love him. I wish everyone would stop punishing him and cutting me off because of it!" Lindsey yelled.

Brooke could see a security guard making a bee line towards them two. "First of all, no one is cutting you off; in fact you just cut me off. Second of all, I have a name, its Brooke Davis you should know you are wearing me," Brooke waved to Lindsey's ensemble. "And thirdly," Brooke smiled and pushed herself in Lindsey's immediate personal space. "He doesn't love you. Nope. He loves the idea of you. He loves the idea that you won't leave him. He loves the idea that you said yes. Hell, he loves that you dyed your hair to match who he really loves."

"Bitch!" Lindsey hissed and raised her hand to smack Brooke's face but Brooke had awesome reflexes and grabbed hold to her wrist and stuck her mouth right by Lindsey's ear.

"Ah, ah, ah, remember my name is Brooke."

Lindsey bit the inside of her cheek and stood awkwardly.

Brooke laughed and smirked at the fake blonde, sizing her up. "You know Lucas must've thought he found the perfect little replacement, but honey between you and me, hell the whole world everyone knows the Lucas Scott loves Peyton Sawyer...How many books has the written about you?"

"Would you stop bringing up the damn book? Please?" Lindsey glared at Brooke.

"No I won't because like Lucas, you have seemed to forget what it was about. How do you live with yourself? How do you wake up and look and the mirror and act like it is no big deal? Are you actually happy?" Brooke asked, her voice finding a calmer tone.

"I don't really see how you can be friends with Peyton when she took Lucas from you...guess it was easy though…she is a slut."

"You better watch what the fuck you're saying you don't know shit!" Brooke's calm tone was gone and she felt every fiber in her being light up with fire she was angry. "At least Lucas knew I would never be too stupid to try and replace her. You're playing with that ring still but it's not yours and as soon as Lucas realizes what a mistake you are which should be very soon you will be back in New York trying to find another up and coming author to screw so you can become rich." Brooke flipped her hair back before composing herself to say one last thing to Lindsey. "I've worn that ring," Lindsey furrowed her brows. "That ring wrongfully on your ring finger it was on mine the night after Lucas proposed to Peyton. With that ring. She said someday and he left her alone in that hotel room. Then apparently you called him about his book." Brooke frowned. "That ring was never meant for you Linds, it has always been Peyton and always will be." With that Brooke walked off and outside to sit down against the wall. It would have been a quiet moment but Lindsey apparently wasn't thinking the same thing.

"Listen to me, I don't care if I rained on your guy's little high school last forever club or not, some people don't marry their high school sweethearts. Open your eyes! This is real life now." Lindsey towered over her.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

Brooke sighed and stood. "No you listen and you open your eyes. You are going to marry a guy that you are not sure his heart is in it. I can tell that you're not fully convinced. I know that look; I used to wear it every day. So you know what I did? I got out and I let the two most important people in my life be together and you know what? It didn't hurt me as bad as I thought it was going to. It wasn't the end of the world. Now back the hell away from me before I make your next period come out your fucking nose."

"I would love to see you try," Lindsey stepped into Brooke's personal space.

"Hm, okay, let's start with giving you a fully fledged 'I swear I am not Peyton Sawyer' make over starting with your ugly ass fried hair." Brooke smirked and then grabbed hold to the under part of Lindsey's hair.

"You Bitch, owww!" Lindsey yelped.

"No, remember, my name is freaking Brooke!" Brooke yelled and pulled her knee up to hit Lindsey's hip bone hard.

The two girls continued to fight until two sets of strong arms yanked them off of each other. They hadn't realized they were on the ground until Brooke looked at her skinned and bruised knees. When she looked up she saw Lucas glaring at Lindsey and Nathan glaring at Lucas. She was just glad the bitch hadn't touched her face and nobody was glaring at her.

"You announced your engagement in the newspaper?" Nathan yelled at Lucas.

"You announced our engagement in the newspaper?" Lucas yelled at Lindsey who was wiping some blood off her bottom lip.

"Yes!" Lindsey exclaimed like it was no big deal. "Brooke found out the other day so I figured since she knew the whole town would know soon enough." Lindsey shrugged coldly, still wiping the blood off her lip.

"How could you be that selfish?!" Lucas raised his tone so loud that it made not only Lindsey flinch but also Nathan and Brooke.

Lindsey laughed manically. "Me? Selfish? That's a crack up."

Brooke scoffed and folded her arms.

Lindsey let out an aggravated groan and turned to Brooke. "Bitch you wanna go again?"

"Lindsey!" Nathan yelled this time, causing Lindsey to snap around and face Nathan. "Back the fuck off of her! You have done enough damage." Nathan turned to his brother. "Luke, get your girl out of here 

and don't come back." Nathan pointed away from the hospital, not opening his eyes once because he knew if he did he would feel bad but it needed to be done.

Lucas looked at his brother and then looked to Lindsey and just walked off. Thankfully Lindsey went with him no questions asked.

When Nathan was sure they were gone he opened his eyes to see Brooke dusting off her knees. "You really are a pistol aren't you?" Nathan laughed when Brooke playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Come on let's go back in." He smiled and wrapped an arm around Brooke's shoulders.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking Lindsey!" Lucas yelled as they entered the house and he threw his keys across the room, making Lindsey tense up.

"So we are talking now? Just when I was getting used to the cold shoulder!" Lindsey decided that two could play this game and she wasn't going down without her voice heard. "I am sick and tired of everyone in this town thinking I am the black plague. So yeah I went ahead and put the announcement in." Lindsey bit back tears.

"You had no right!" Lucas snapped back.

"I wanted to surprise you Luke! You were so worried about Peyton and I just wanted to make you happy and I figured since Brooke knew that it wasn't really that big of a secret." Lindsey shrugged and then walked over to Lucas to try and wrap her arms around him but he back away.

"You had no right." He said dark and cold, looking up at her from his slouched position against the back of the couch. "Lindsey, my mom doesn't even know yet. She is going to find that out from a newspaper rather than her own son." Lucas looked down to the wood floor and then felt his phone vibrate from his back pocket. "Look who it is, mom," He looked at the phone for a brief nanosecond before flipping his phone open and walking out of the house, dribbling a basketball.

Lindsey just hit the wall next to her before stepping in the shower.

_Get up, get out, get away from these liars  
'Cause they don't get your soul or your fire  
Take my hand, knot your fingers through mine  
And we'll walk from this dark room for the last time_

* * *

"_Lucas Eugene Scott!"_

"Yeah ma," Lucas rolled his eyes and prepared himself.

"_Why am I finding out from Haley and Whitey you're engaged to Lindsey AND that Peyton is in the hospital? Do you even remember me these days?"_

Lucas felt bad. It was true, the last time he had talked to his mother was…well he couldn't even remember. "Look ma,"

"_No you look, you are being extremely bull headed and I know I raised you better than that!"_

"Mom! Would you just listen?!" Lucas yelled. Guessing since she was finally silent it meant he could talk. "I didn't mean to not call you. It happened suddenly and then Peyt got in a car wreck and it's just all really," Lucas took a deep breath and for the first time felt tears spring his eyes. "Really messed up." He finished.

"_Look I know you, hell I raised you your entire life. This Lindsey girl is not the girl you marry Luke. I know it's harsh but I think it's by time you received some criticism from someone other than Brooke Davis."_

"Mom I know you are trying to help me but it's…it's not helping me." Lucas countered back.

"_It's not supposed to help you Lucas! It's supposed to open your eyes!" _Pause. _"Look I love you and you know that but if you go through with this I will not give you my blessing."_

Lucas' eyes widened. "What?!"

"_You heard me. Your entire junior I watched you play those girl's hearts like a guitar but knew in my heart that you picked the right heart with Peyton. You're hurt, and I know she was the one but sometimes Lucas the ones who love us the most hurt us the worst sometimes."_

Lucas just nodded as he sat down on the concrete rivercourt and looked out into the river nearby.

* * *

"Knock, knock!" Haley sang as she entered the kitchen but was greeted with Lindsey in a face masked, baggy sweats and sweat shirt digging her ice cream spoon into the jar of sugar.

"Oh hello." Lindsey greeted monotone before she stuck the spoon in her mouth and then repeated it.

Haley frowned at Lindsey before setting her purse down on the table. "Is Luke around?"

"Uh that would be a no." Lindsey replied dryly before walking into the kitchen with the jar of sugar.

Haley sighed, but followed. When she got to the living room she saw various Little Debbie snack cake boxes, two bags of Twizzlers, a bucket of cookie dough, a cup of butter and three bottles of wine. And Haley thought Brooke was bad with the sweets and depression. "Lindsey," Haley started and walked around to look at Lindsey. "Lindsey, what happened?"

Lindsey let out a snorting laugh, showing that she was already drunk. "Like you don't already know! Isn't that why you are here?" Lindsey mocked a sixth grader attitude and moved her head back in forth while reaching for the Twizzlers.

Haley nodded, figuring she was right and to cut to the chase. "Look Lindsey, when Lucas first met you I thought you might be good for him, but ever since Peyton's come back there a twinkle in his eyes and a genuine smile on his face and I hate to say it but it wasn't there before she came back. I just think Lucas is afraid to go back to Peyton." Haley said in a soft tone.

"You know what I think?" Lindsey asked, pointing a black Twizzler at Haley.

Haley just smiled softly and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I think that you should get out of my house before I shove this up your ass." Lindsey said angrily.

Haley just sighed and walked out, rolling her eyes before leaving she said, "You know I honestly don't see what he saw in you before. You are nothing like that Lindsey."

* * *

Haley closed her car door and walked over to her best friend. "I just came back from a talk with your fiancé." Haley said as she walked over to Lucas who was sitting on the rivercourt. "That was fun," Haley laughed.

"Seems everyone has been talking to her except me." Lucas looked down at the faded signatures on the concrete.

"Why is that?" Haley joined him down on the pavement.

"I don't really know Hales. Why can't it be simple?" He chuckled and threw some grass in front of him before sighing loudly and lying on his back.

"If it were easy and simple you still would be sitting here Lucas." Haley smiled and rubbed her best friend of too many years to count head.

"Do you think you could be in love with two people, at the exact time?" Lucas asked as he closed his eyes, somewhat afraid of her answer, knowing whatever would come out of Haley James Scott's mouth would be the pure truth and nothing but exactness.

"I think there's a difference in what we long for, what we settle for, and who we are meant for." Haley bit the inside of her cheek and lay down with him.

Lucas nodded. "You think I am settling."

Haley turned her head to the right and gave him a sad smile. "Yes I do. I thought you were truly over her Luke and then she came back and now this and…you aren't the same around Lindsey as you are with Peyton. Your smile reaches your eyes and those dorky rare dimples show. That never happened with Lindsey."

"So what, Peyton makes me look like an idiot while smiling, Hales I don't think that qualifies as me still being in love with her."

"No, you're right but I am saying it's real when it's caused by Peyton. Do you get it now?" Haley stared at Lucas until he looked at her.

_Every minute from this minute now  
We can do what we like anywhere  
I want so much to open your eyes  
'Cause I need you to look into mine_

* * *

"So she is in a coma now?" Brooke asked shakily as she brushed some of Peyton's curls away from her bruised forehead.

"Yes she is, she lost a lot of blood and her brain was a little rattled. Her body needs time to recuperate so this is all up to her now when she wants to wake up." Doctor Griffin informed Brooke. "Now since we still have not contacted her father I am allowing you to stay in here with her but you only. The others can come in between visiting hours. Now, there will be a nurse in here every two hours alright?"

Brooke just nodded.

"Alright then, I will go ahead and leave you alone. I will see you in the morning when we do some more test on her." Doctor Griffin smiled and walked out.

Brooke took hold of Peyton's hand and pulled the blanket more around her shoulders.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

* * *

"Hey Hales," Nathan said as he entered the piano room.

Haley sighed and turned around. "Hi," She stood and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, kissing him slowly.

Nathan was going to deepen the kiss until they heard two sets of fake gagging noises behind him. Haley lifted her head from Nathan's shoulder to look at Skills and Jamie.

"Yuckie!" Jamie giggled.

"Yeah, don't you all know that this is the _family_ room?" Skills smirked.

Nathan sighed and rolled his eyes before hoisting Jamie up over his head and sitting him on his shoulders. "Time for your bedtime." Nathan said and headed towards the stairs.

Haley laughed. "Thanks Skills, for everything. You and Mouth are a godsend." She smiled.

* * *

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

"Dadda, why is everyone so sad?" Jamie asked after he rinsed his mouth of toothpaste.

Nathan scrunched his forehead at his son. "What do you mean?"

"Well you and momma look sad and so did Auntie Brooke. But Uncle Lucas was the saddest." Jamie explained.

Nathan nodded and then held his arms out for Jamie, and then picked him up to carry him to his room. "Well, Aunt Peyton is in the hospital and she isn't doing so well and it is just a tough time right now." Nathan explicated as he tucked in Jamie and kissed his forehead. "Night tiger," He winked and shut off the lights.

"Dadda," Jamie asked.

"Yeah son?"

"I am sorry it is tough. And I really hope Auntie Peyton gets better." Jamie smiled.

Nathan nodded. "Me too,"

* * *

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

Lindsey's movie on demand was interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door. Grumbling, she stood and wrapped a blanket around her to answer the door. "Hello…?" She was face to face with Jason. "Jason? What are you doing?"

"Well I am here to tell you apparently it didn't work." His face was unreadable except for the anger in his eyes as he ran his hand over his buzz cut and walked in. "They are going to find out."

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

"Who? Who are they and what the hell are you talking about?" Lindsey hoped she sounded more confident than she was feeling.

"The fucking cops doll face!" His voice altered into darkness as he sat down. "We need to figure some shit out."

Lindsey felt her heartbeat race up as the dots finally connected and her worst nightmare was happening.

_All this feels strange and untrue  
And I won't waste a minute without you_


	7. Decode

**A/N:** SOOOOOO SORRY!!! Life just got in the way. But here you go!! The next chapter to this amazing story. I really love and enjoy writing this, so does Heather. Think of this chapter like the calming BEFORE the storm.  
**A/N2:** Also, I could not for the life of me find Jason's last name so for the sake of this update and the fact I ate too much today (Happy Thanksgiving you all by the way!!) I named him Jason Stone. I thought it suited.

**Hush, Hush**  
_Decode_  
Chapter Seven

"Has she gotten any better?" Nathan asked.

Brooke sat up and discreetly wiped the drool off her cheek. "Um, well I don't know a lot about doctor talk, they had to basically put it through the Brooke Davis filter but she is still the same; not getting worse but also not getting better." Brooke shrugged and pushed a small smile over her face to convince Nathan she was fine.

Nathan nodded and walked over to an unconscious Peyton and pushed some matted curls behind her ear. "This sucks." He declared softly as he sat down in a chair nearby.

Brooke sighed. "Everything sucks." She added. "Lucas is marrying Lindsey and Peyton doesn't even know it." She threw her head into her hands as her elbows rested on her knees.

Nathan felt horrible fro Brooke. She looked tired and sad and lethargic. "Why don't you go home and rest? I can stay here while you're gone." Nathan offered.

"No," She shook her head firmly. "I can't. I won't. She needs me."

"Brooke," Nathan argued.

"Nathan," Brooke countered.

Nathan could tell Brooke was serious. "Okay, how about Haley goes to your place and grabs some clean clothes?" He kindly suggested.

She nodded and went back to staring at Peyton, wishing she'd wake up.

--

"Come on sugar bee," Haley held out her hand. Jamie was playing at the play ground when Nathan called her about Brooke.

"But I was playing cowboys and Indians with the boys!" Jamie pouted.

Haley laughed. "Call you later Skills, Fergie, Junk," She waved to her ridiculous friends and walked to the car, Jamie in hand. "We'll come back later, I promise." She smiled and watched Jamie climb into the back seat.

"Where are we going Momma?" He asked as he buckled himself in.

Haley started the car and looked in the rearview mirror at her son. "We're going to Auntie Brooke and Auntie PeyPey's house." She smiled, knowing he loved that house.

"Yay!" He lifted his arms upwards in excitement. "Do you think there are cookies in that left cabinet?" He asked.

"How do you know that?" Haley asked her son, not knowing he too knew where hers and Brooke's secret stash of Thin Mints were.

"Brooke just tells me these things." He shrugged arms still in the air.

"Okay cheerleader, put 'em down so momma can back out of her parking spot."

Jamie scrunched up his nose. "Lilly says cheerleading is for girls."

"Lilly isn't always right." Haley retorted.

"You miiiiiiight wanna tell her that." Jamie frowned as he watched the scenery fly by.

Haley just laughed at her smart son.

As they were heading to their house, Haley couldn't hide the fact she was worried about her high school friend. But her gut told her that if anyone could pull out of this Peyton Sawyer could. Haley regretted being a bitch towards Peyton when she came home. Peyton didn't deserve any of that. If anyone knew how a broken heart felt it would be Haley. When she came back to Tree Hill after quitting the tour it was difficult to see Nathan so dethatched. She could only hope that Lucas came to his senses.

"Momma, you just past it." Jamie giggled.

Haley hit the brakes and backed up to the driveway. "Silly me." She laughed at herself.

Once in the house Haley heard several alarm clocks.

"What's that noise momma?" Jamie covered his ears.

"Alarm clocks. How about you run up to Peyton's room and shut hers off okay?" Haley patted his head and watched him run up the stairs. "Don't run!" She called back after him.

She laughed to herself and shook her head as she set her purse down on the kitchen counter before heading down the short hallway to Brooke's room. As she entered her fashionista friend's room she noticed off hand all the scattered clothing line sketches. _She really does work hard,_ she thought to herself and began organizing everything up and packing her bag.

After spending ten fifteen minutes packing a bag for Brooke, Haley traveled up to the second floor where she found Jamie sitting on Peyton's bed looking at her sketches, the iPod on the dock was playing as well.

"Hey buddy," She spoke softly and walked over to the bed, joining him. She looked at the sketch Jamie was looking at. It was the sketch Peyton had drawn on her cast in the middle of their senior year. Peyton must have made a hard copy of it.

"Is that you momma?" Jamie looked up at his mother with bright eyes.

Haley nodded. "Yep," She answered.

"You were pretty!" Jamie exclaimed but then paused. "You're still pretty."

"I know what you mean bugger," She said as she ran her fingers through his blonde hair.

"Good." Jamie did a quick nod.

"How about we pack Peyton's bag now?" She sat up and closed the sketch book.

Jamie just nodded.

--

Lindsey was sitting on the counter, drinking some alcohol again. She couldn't the last time she had drank that much. Actually she could, it was the time right after her father past away and Lucas had been with her to drown her sorrows.

She couldn't ignore the sick feeling that was constantly churning her stomach every time she thought about Peyton in the hospital. And if she looked at something she'd somehow find a way to link it to Lucas, Peyton or Jason.

She thought about just running to the sheriff's department and telling them everything she knew but then that scared her. She could very well get charged with attempted murder or at least accomplice. Damn her and her Law and Order obsession.

She almost dropped her coffee mug at the sound of the front door shutting. Lucas must be home.

"Lindsey?" She heard him call.

Lindsey thought (hoped maybe too) that she could just disappear, like when the ground just opened up and swallowed people.

"Hey," He facial expressions were soft compared to the ones displayed previously. "Why didn't you call out?" He furrowed his brows.

Lindsey just shrugged.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"What's wrong, hmm…" She pressed her palm against her temple, pulling it off seconds after. "Oh!" She showed an epiphany expression and a smile. "That's right, you walked out, never came home-again, I got a _cheery_ talk from Haley, and then I basically drank my body weight in alcohol. So if you could not talk right now that would be great!"

"Maybe if you didn't go behind my back all the time I wouldn't have been so disgusted and I wouldn't have left!" Lucas threw his keys on the counter beside Lindsey and watching her flinch.

"Awesome! I now disappoint AND disgust you!" Lindsey glared and clapped her hands. "What can i do next?" She asked sarcastically.

Lucas rolled his eyes at how childish she was acting and turned around to walk to their bedroom.

"Walk away Scott; it's what you do best." Lindsey yelled then regretted doing so when her head fought back with a painful throb. "Shit," She rubbed her temples.

She jumped off the counter to rinse out her mug when she heard someone hit the outside wall of the kitchen in the hall. Her grasp on the mug and it shattered in the sink below her.

"You are not perfect," Lucas's voice was low as well as his head, as he spoke words so true they stung her heart and eyes. "You are a human being Lindsey, you've made mistakes, and you've regretted things. You have felt lost and scared and unaware." He paused and Lindsey feared what he would say next as she unknowingly held her breath for it. "Why can't you accept that of me?"

Lindsey just stood there, shaking slightly, as Lucas grabbed his keys again without looking at her and walked out of the house.

Once she heard his mustang start up and peel out of the drive way it was then she allowed herself to cry.

--

_How can I decide what's right__  
__When you're clouding up my mind?__  
__I can't win your losing fight__  
__All the time._

Lucas couldn't drive anymore so he parked his car on the side of the road in a familiar neighborhood and started walking.

With each stepped he took; he clenched his jaw and fists harder. He didn't know who he was trying to convince, himself or the world. He was head over heels for Peyton. Lindsey could never replace her; getting engaged was a mistake and a total jackassery move.

He messed up, there was no excuse for it, and now Peyton was unconscious in a hospital bed because of him. If he never had moved on, Peyton wouldn't have been crushed. If he was never a jerk to her around Lindsey, then she would have never written that letter which would have ultimately made her _not_ need to deliver the letter. It was all indeed his fault.

Now who knows when Peyton would wake up so he could tell all that to her face.

He stood stiff as he knocked on a door.

"Lucas Scott," Whitey greeted from the other side of the screen door.

"I think I messed up," Lucas blurted.

"You _think_?" Whitey raised an eyebrow.

--

_Not gonna ever own what's mine__  
__When you're always taking sides?__  
__But you won't take away my pride.__  
__No, not this time.__  
__Not this time._

Brooke was grateful for Haley, bringing her sketch book so she could at least finish her sketches for her new line called 'Baby Brooke'. Also the recent shower in Peyton's private bathroom and change of clothes was amazing as well.

Of course, every five minutes or so she would glance up at Peyton to check… just to check. She didn't know why but she felt she should.

She was a bit worried that Peyton's father hadn't shown or even gave a call back to the hospital. That would just go along with this suck fest disaster, her dad passing away as well.

She knew she shouldn't have caused such a scene with Lindsey but that woman needed to seriously be put in her place for once. "Seriously," She said to herself as she pressed hard on the red pencil in her hand.

"Talk to yourself much B. Davis?" Peyton mumbled groggily.

Brooke whipped her head upwards ad dropped her jaw in a 'what the hell' kind of way. "Peyton?"

Peyton laughed and did her best to sit up. "Have I been out that long?" She yawned, and then coughed.

"I should get a doctor," Brooke snapped out of her haze and went to push the sketches off her lap but she couldn't, because Jamie was on her lap.

_Wait. Jamie is on my lap? WTF._ She thought.

"Hey sleepy head. I apologize for him, he has become fascinated with artwork today. You should have seen him in Peyt's room earlier." Haley smiled at Brooke.

Brooke looked around and saw that Peyton was still in her come, lifeless, and Jamie was tracing the lines of her sketch, the sketchbook in his hands along with a bag. She bit her bottom lip and fought back tears.

"What's wrong Auntie Brooke?" Jamie looked down a little at his third favorite person in the world.

Brooke tried to bite down harder to fight the tears in front of Jamie, so young and naïve, but it didn't happen and she began crying freely, not bothering to wipe away the tears. "Aunt Brooke is just sad buddy."

"Why?" Jamie quirked his mouth.

"Well you how would you feel if Chester was sick and wouldn't wake up?"

Jamie looked down. "Pretty sad."

"That's how I feel right now. I miss my best friend." Brooke rested her temple against the top of Jamie's head and looked over at Haley with a sad, teary smile.

Jamie nodded and looked up at Brooke to wipe a tear away. "It might help to draw a picture for her when she wakes up! She likes art a lot. I am going to draw her something too."

Brooke smiled brighter and leaned against his forehead and closed her eyes.

--

_How did we get here?__  
__When I used to know you so well.__  
__But how did we get here?__  
__Well, I think I know._

Nathan never believed in the heavenly forces. He was never one to pray on his knees in front of his bed or say grace before eating dinner. There were no such things as angels or miracles. You were on your own in this life with help only from loved ones.

But desperate times calls for desperate measures right?

He knew Peyton would be laughing her ass off at the sight now even though he knew she came here often to talk but Peyton knew Nate like the back of her hand.

"Hey Anna, it is me, Nathan Scott. I dated your daughter during high school. We never met, I regret that. But hey look, I need you to work some magic up there and fix Peyton. Brooke's a mess, my son, Jamie, doesn't understand this and Lucas, well Luke is… he isn't doing so well. Everything is at an uproar and nothing is getting fixed." He looked at the smooth granite and stared at the words upon it.

--

_The truth is hiding in your eyes__  
__And it's hanging on your tongue.__  
__Just boiling in my blood.__  
__But you think that I can't see__  
__What kind of man that you are,__  
__If you're a man at all._

"Want something to drink?" Whitey asked as they walked into his living room. He rubbed his bald head and turned around. "Ice tea, water, or hows about some holy water?" Whitey's eyebrows curled in the way they did back in high school whenever he knew something before Lucas did.

"Now what is that suppose to mean Coach?" Lucas raised an eyebrow and sat down in the nearest chair.

"It means what it means." He shrugged. "So that is a no on the beverage?"

"Oh no I would like something with a kick in it." Lucas chuckled.

Whitey looked down at the boy he had coached not only in basketball but in life and nodded. "I suppose it is legal for you now. I will be right back."

Lucas just shook his head and laughed until Whitey was back with two bland colored green mugs and a full bottle of Jack Daniels in both his hands.

"So you are getting married I read." Whitey handed Lucas a mug and unscrewed the top of the Daniels. "Now how come I had to hear about it from black and white and not from the source? Just because I don't coach you anymore don't mean I am out of your life." Whitey pointed at him with his index finger.

"I am sorry Coach, life just got in the way." Lucas stared deeply into his mug before swishing it around and taking a drink of it.

"Life, or Peyton Sawyer?" Whitey said a few moments later.

Lucas's head snapped up at the words.

"Yeah, I am going to go with Sawyer getting into your head." He laughed and it was the same laugh Lucas could remember. Whitey hadn't changed at all. He pointed at Lucas again and smiled knowingly. "Yeah, that is the face of a man at a crossroad." He watched as Lucas wore a small, also knowingly, smile and dropped his head. "State championship. That was one of the best nights of my life. After the game, I saw you with Blondie. I had never seen your smile so big. And I knew then that that was the best night of your life too.

"You don't get to choose you just fall in love and you get this person who is all wrong and all right at the same time. And you know you love them so much except sometimes they just drive you completely insane and no one can explain it. And the reason it's so confusing is because it's love, but if love didn't have any challenges what would be the point?

"The only reason you don't have any answers yet is because you're afraid to ask yourself the right questions." Whitey patted Lucas' shoulder with a sympathetic face.

Lucas sighed; he didn't even try to make up some excuse or story that it was Lindsey that confused the hell out of him or that she drove him crazy but truth be told Lindsey didn't do anything to him. She was like that cheap wine that held off the emotions and the heartache for the evening but in the morning it would all still be there waiting for him.

"I think you know what you need to do son." Whitey spoke and Lucas just nodded again and finished off his drink.

_--_

_How did we get here?__  
__When I used to know you so well, yeah.__  
__But how did we get here?__  
__Well, I think I know._

Haley let herself into Lucas's house with the hide-away key under the glass frog she had bought Lucas and Karen in middle school. She saw that the kitchen was a mess, wine bottles and other alcoholic bottles lining the countertops and the coffee table still was covered with every junk food item imaginable.

Haley knew she was being nosey. But who was Haley James Scott without being nosey?

After looking around the house she came back into the living room. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, just looking she guessed.

She wished that she had the ability to rewind a few weeks back. Back before Lucas purposed to Lindsey, before Peyton got into the car crash, before she had hired Carrie, before life had happened. It seemed like just yesterday they were teenagers, hanging out on the rivercourt. Everything just seemed so messed up lately.

Lucas was a mess, to say the least. Brooke was trying to be strong for everyone, but she could see in her eyes that she was close to a breakdown. Nathan had been her saving grace lately. Things had been utterly in uproar, and he did whatever was asked of him. Haley knew he was just as worried as everybody else, but from running around, and doing everything for everybody he hadn't really had a chance to stop and think.

She sat there for a while and stared at the bookcase in front of her. After some time she noticed something sticking out between _An Unkindness of Ravens_ and _Grapes of Wrath_. She pulled it out and unfolded the rather thick envelope.

Silently, she read aloud…

_Dear Lucas,_

_That sounds so flat, so unfamiliar doesn't it? 'Dear Lucas'? It should be 'Dear Lucas Eugene Scott, the only man that has ever held my heart captive and close to his. The only man that still makes my heart skip a beat and my breath to hitch. The only man that can stare me down from across a room and see right through me so god damn easily.' There. That sounds better._

_It's funny how big of an impact you have on me. It's like when I see you, you don't even have to speak. All you have to do is smile, and it can make my day, and then that's how I remember my reasons for loving you. "It's always going to be there; you and I." Remember when you told me that once? It seems you have forgotten. It seems like you have forgotten a lot of the things you've said, or have written. How can you forget them and not care? You said it was me, you said it was always me and that you would wait forever for me. Forever Luke!_

_I've been through so much with you and I still want you as much as I did the first time I laid my eyes on you. Every time I see you, it's like meeting you for the first time all over again. It's the butterflies in my stomach and not knowing what to say. But out of all the things you've taught me and showed me, there are still a few things I don't understand. And I few things I don't know._

_I wish I could say that we had a happy ending. I wish I could say everything worked out. I wish I could say that our once upon a time ended in happily ever after, but that kind of stuff just doesn't happen to me. You're always saving me. Remember? I need to save myself now. And in order for that to happen I need to let go of you. All of you. All of your words and all the different laughs you have, the way your right eyebrow twitches up when you think you said something smartass, the way your eyes sort of go cross eyed when you look me in my eyes. The way your arms wrapped around my body, making me feel so safe and warm. The way your lips taste. The way your hand fit perfectly in mine. I need to save me, be my own hero because you have to be your own hero twice as much; once for you and once for Lindsey._

_I don't know exactly how much I mean to you, and I don't know how to tell you that I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life and as I stand here looking at you. I doubt there will ever be a day when I will get over your smile or your love. There will never be a day when I let go of the hugs or kisses you gave me, which I can still constantly feel. There will never be a day when I forget the words you said to me. I will never forget what you meant to me, or how much I will always love you. No matter what happens with you, or between us. I will never let go, get over, or forget about you._

_But, I am not writing this to rehash the past, just to tell you this: _

_I have this theory that the more important and intimate the emotion, the fewer the words are required to express it. For instance, in dating, 'Will you go out with me?' Six words. 'I think I care for you.' Five words. 'You matter to me.' Four words. 'I love you.' Three words. 'Marry me.' Two words. So what's left? What's the most important and intimate word you can ever say to somebody? It's 'Goodbye.'_

_Goodbye… The most perfect act of love is sacrifice. It's what Keith did for your mom. I love you Luke, you know I do and I think I have ever since we locked eyes. I love you enough to watch you walk away; to think of your happiness over mine. And I love you enough to know that no one will ever love you as much as me. I love you enough to know that you deserve everything Luke, everything in the world; so if she can give it to you…then let her. And at last, I love you enough to be the one to walk away last, I love you enough to be able to watch you walk away to her and not break down completely because we had our day and it was amazing, probably the best days of my life. But if that's what you want then I'm gonna do it. Don't worry about me; don't regret the kiss because I don't. Be happy Luke. I want that will all my heart._

_Forever and Always,  
Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer_

Haley wiped the tears she didn't realize were falling and folded the letter up again and shoved it back into the same spot and backed up to leave when she saw Lucas.

"Hey, you alright?" Lucas asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, um I don't really know actually." She laughed. "I guessed I missed my best friend." She shrugged.

"Remind me to hide that key somewhere else." He joked and walked over to pull her into a hug. "So you read the letter huh?" He said into her hair and placed a gentle kiss on the crown of her head before pulling back and sitting down on the couch. "For the record, I've missed you too Haley James Scott."

"Uh yah, word of advice, hide that somewhere else before Lindsey finds it. Better yet let me take it with me." Haley snatched it out again and slipped it into her bag.

He nodded. "I had a talk with Whitey today." He said.

"How is that big bear?" Haley laughed.

"Good I think. He is enjoying life of retirement." Lucas chuckled. "He said some things that kind of made sense. And I think I need your honest opinion Hales, should I be with Lindsey or Peyton?"

Haley sighed and studied her friend. "I can't make that decision for you Luke and you know it." She got up and sat down next to Lucas on the couch, taking his hand in her own. "What's in your heart? Is it Lindsey or is Peyton still there? Because you need to figure that out and quick, what you are and are not doing to both women is not fair and neither deserve it."

"It is all just hard." Lucas mumbled and bowed his head in his right hand, scratching his head as well.

--

Lucas grabbed what seemed like the millionth cup of dollar coffee and walked down the hall to Peyton's room when he was stopped.

"Hey aren't you that cop from a few days ago? Did you find out what happened to Peyton's car?" Lucas took a sip of warm coffee. It felt nice slivering down his throat.

"Yeah, yeah aren't Ms Sawyer's boyfriend, finance or something?" The cop asked while flipping his binder shut.

"Yeah something like that." Lucas took another sip and wonder why he didn't just come out and say 'No I am not her anything, I am engaged to this other girl that consequently these two women hate each other. Oh and I still have feelings for this one here.'

"Well we found evidence that her car was messed with, tampered with."

"Oh wow, so someone tried to hurt her? Intentionally?"

"What is going on over here?" A sweet, raspy voice behind Lucas asked.

"Hey Brooke, they figured out that it wasn't suicidal but intentional." Lucas handed her his coffee so she could have some.

"No thanks, I am straight H2O now I have had enough caffeine for decades." She turned to the officer. "Do you have any leads?"

"Right now we are looking into a Mr. Stone, ring any bells?"

Brooke and Lucas looked at each other, both not recognize the name. "Nope," They both answered together.

"Well, we will let you know when we know." He tipped his hat and walked out.

Brooke smirked and waited for Lucas to turn around again. "Something like that? Really Broody?"

"Brooke," Lucas shook his head. He really did not want to have this talk.

"I don't know how many times I am going to have to have this damn talk with you Luke," Brooke sighed and crossed her arms. "But you gotta stop this."

"It is just, I am afraid that if I let go that that will be it. Done. Over." He sighed.

Brooke placed a hand on his arm, friend to friend and said, "Honey, you let her go when you walked out of that hotel room."

--

"Open up it is the police, Mr. Jason Stone you are under arrest for attempted murder."

_Do you see what we've done?__  
__We've gone and made such fools__  
__Of ourselves.__  
__Do you see what we've done?__  
__We've gone and made such fools__  
__Of ourselves._


End file.
